information on lipitor

What is the most important information I should know about Lipitor?
• Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you haveliver disease information on lipitor.
• Alcohol and Lipitor can both damage your liver information on lipitor. Discuss with your doctorthe amount of alcohol that you drink so that it can be determined if Lipitoris the best choice for lowering your cholesterol information on lipitor.
• Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnant, if you are planning a pregnancy,or if you are breast-feeding a baby information on lipitor.
• Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained musclepain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if it is accompanied by a fever orflulike symptoms or yellowing of your skin or eyes information on lipitor.

What is Lipitor?
• Lipitor blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in yourbody information on lipitor.
• Lipitor is used to reduce the amounts of LDL (bad) cholesterol, totalcholesterol, triglycerides (another type of fat), and apolipoprotein B (a proteinneeded to make cholesterol) in your blood information on lipitor. Lipitor is also used to increasethe level of HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood information on lipitor. These actions are importantin reducing the risk of hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks,stroke, and peripheral vascular disease information on lipitor.
• Lipitor may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide information on lipitor.

Who should not take Lipitor?
• Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you haveliver disease information on lipitor.
• Before taking Lipitor, tell your doctor if you
· drink alcoholic beverages,
· have a chronic muscular disease,
· require major surgery, or
· have a blood disorder information on lipitor.
• You may not be able to take Lipitor, or you may require a dosage adjustmentor special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listedabove information on lipitor.
• Lipitor is in the FDA pregnancy category X information on lipitor. This means that Lipitor willcause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy information on lipitor. Cholesterol is very importantfor the proper development of a baby information on lipitor. Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnantor are planning a pregnancy information on lipitor.
• It is not known whether Lipitor passes into breast milk information on lipitor. Do not takethis medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby information on lipitor.

How should I take Lipitor?
• Take Lipitor exactly as directed by your doctor information on lipitor. If you do not understandthese directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you information on lipitor.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water information on lipitor.
• Lipitor can be taken with or without food information on lipitor.
• Lipitor is usually taken once a day information on lipitor. Try to take your dose at the sametime each day information on lipitor. Follow your doctor's instructions information on lipitor.
• Your doctor may want to monitor your liver function with blood testsbefore starting treatment with Lipitor, at twelve weeks after both the startof your treatment and any increase in dose, and periodically (every 6 months)thereafter information on lipitor. Depending on the results of these tests, your doctor can determinehow much monitoring you will require information on lipitor.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor information on lipitor. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects information on lipitor. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor information on lipitor. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor information on lipitor.
• Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet information on lipitor. To realize beneficial effects fromLipitor, avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods information on lipitor.
• Do not stop taking Lipitor without first talking to your doctor information on lipitor. It maybe weeks or months before beneficial effects are seen from this medication information on lipitor.
• Store Lipitor at room temperature away from moisture and heat information on lipitor.

What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember information on lipitor. However, if it is almosttime for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take only your next regularlyscheduled dose information on lipitor. Do not take a double dose of this medication information on lipitor.

What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention information on lipitor.
• The symptoms of an overdose of Lipitor are not known information on lipitor.

What should I avoid while taking Lipitor?
• Alcohol and Lipitor can both damage your liver information on lipitor. Discuss with your doctorthe amount of alcohol that you drink so that it can be determined if Lipitoris the best choice for lowering your cholesterol information on lipitor.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor information on lipitor. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects information on lipitor. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor information on lipitor. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor information on lipitor.

What are the possible side effects of Lipitor?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop takingLipitor and seek emergency medical attention or call your doctor immediately:
· an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat;swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
· muscle aches, pain, or weakness;
· "flu-like" symptoms;
· decreased urine or rust-colored urine;
· blurred vision; or
· yellowing of your skin or eyes information on lipitor.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur information on lipitor. Continueto take Lipitor and talk to your doctor if you experience
· headache;
· upset stomach or flatulence; or
· a rash information on lipitor.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur information on lipitor. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome information on lipitor.

What other drugs will affect Lipitor?
• Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you are takingany of the following medicines:
· cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral);
· gemfibrozil (Lopid);
· niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Nicotinex, others);
· clarithromycin (Biaxin);
· erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Ilotycin, Eryc, PCE, Ilosone,others); or
· fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), or ketoconazole (Nizoral) information on lipitor.
• The medications listed above interact with Lipitor and may cause damageyour muscles information on lipitor.
• Before taking Lipitor, tell your doctor if you are taking any of thefollowing medicines:
· other cholesterol-lowering drugs such as cholestyramine (Questran)or colestipol (Colestid); or
· digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps) information on lipitor.
• You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatmentif you are taking any of the medicines listed above information on lipitor.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Lipitor information on lipitor. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines information on lipitor.

Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about Lipitor written forhealth professionals that you may read information on lipitor.

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