lipitor chemistry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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