lipitor atorvastatin

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

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

Who should not take Lipitor?
• Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you haveliver disease lipitor atorvastatin.
• 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 atorvastatin.
• 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 atorvastatin.
• Lipitor is in the FDA pregnancy category X lipitor atorvastatin. This means that Lipitor willcause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy lipitor atorvastatin. Cholesterol is very importantfor the proper development of a baby lipitor atorvastatin. Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnantor are planning a pregnancy lipitor atorvastatin.
• It is not known whether Lipitor passes into breast milk lipitor atorvastatin. Do not takethis medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby lipitor atorvastatin.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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