lipitor and alt and ast

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 lipitor and alt and ast.
• Alcohol and Lipitor can both damage your liver lipitor and alt and ast. 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 lipitor and alt and ast.
• Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnant, if you are planning a pregnancy,or if you are breast-feeding a baby lipitor and alt and ast.
• 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 lipitor and alt and ast.

What is Lipitor?
• Lipitor blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in yourbody lipitor and alt and ast.
• 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 lipitor and alt and ast. Lipitor is also used to increasethe level of HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood lipitor and alt and ast. These actions are importantin reducing the risk of hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks,stroke, and peripheral vascular disease lipitor and alt and ast.
• Lipitor may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide lipitor and alt and ast.

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

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

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

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

What should I avoid while taking Lipitor?
• Alcohol and Lipitor can both damage your liver lipitor and alt and ast. 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 lipitor and alt and ast.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor lipitor and alt and ast. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects lipitor and alt and ast. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor lipitor and alt and ast. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor lipitor and alt and ast.

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 lipitor and alt and ast.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur lipitor and alt and ast. Continueto take Lipitor and talk to your doctor if you experience
· headache;
· upset stomach or flatulence; or
· a rash lipitor and alt and ast.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur lipitor and alt and ast. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome lipitor and alt and ast.

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) lipitor and alt and ast.
• The medications listed above interact with Lipitor and may cause damageyour muscles lipitor and alt and ast.
• 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) lipitor and alt and ast.
• You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatmentif you are taking any of the medicines listed above lipitor and alt and ast.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Lipitor lipitor and alt and ast. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines lipitor and alt and ast.

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

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