lipitor outcomes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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