lipitor patent 156

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 patent 156.
• Alcohol and Lipitor can both damage your liver lipitor patent 156. 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 patent 156.
• Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnant, if you are planning a pregnancy,or if you are breast-feeding a baby lipitor patent 156.
• 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 patent 156.

What is Lipitor?
• Lipitor blocks the production of cholesterol (a type of fat) in yourbody lipitor patent 156.
• 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 patent 156. Lipitor is also used to increasethe level of HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood lipitor patent 156. These actions are importantin reducing the risk of hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks,stroke, and peripheral vascular disease lipitor patent 156.
• Lipitor may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide lipitor patent 156.

Who should not take Lipitor?
• Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you haveliver disease lipitor patent 156.
• 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 patent 156.
• 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 patent 156.
• Lipitor is in the FDA pregnancy category X lipitor patent 156. This means that Lipitor willcause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy lipitor patent 156. Cholesterol is very importantfor the proper development of a baby lipitor patent 156. Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnantor are planning a pregnancy lipitor patent 156.
• It is not known whether Lipitor passes into breast milk lipitor patent 156. Do not takethis medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feedinga baby lipitor patent 156.

How should I take Lipitor?
• Take Lipitor exactly as directed by your doctor lipitor patent 156. If you do not understandthese directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you lipitor patent 156.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water lipitor patent 156.
• Lipitor can be taken with or without food lipitor patent 156.
• Lipitor is usually taken once a day lipitor patent 156. Try to take your dose at the sametime each day lipitor patent 156. Follow your doctor's instructions lipitor patent 156.
• 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 patent 156. Depending on the results of these tests, your doctor can determinehow much monitoring you will require lipitor patent 156.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor lipitor patent 156. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects lipitor patent 156. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor lipitor patent 156. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor lipitor patent 156.
• Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet lipitor patent 156. To realize beneficial effects fromLipitor, avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods lipitor patent 156.
• Do not stop taking Lipitor without first talking to your doctor lipitor patent 156. It maybe weeks or months before beneficial effects are seen from this medication lipitor patent 156.
• Store Lipitor at room temperature away from moisture and heat lipitor patent 156.

What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember lipitor patent 156. However, if it is almosttime for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take only your next regularlyscheduled dose lipitor patent 156. Do not take a double dose of this medication lipitor patent 156.

What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention lipitor patent 156.
• The symptoms of an overdose of Lipitor are not known lipitor patent 156.

What should I avoid while taking Lipitor?
• Alcohol and Lipitor can both damage your liver lipitor patent 156. 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 patent 156.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor lipitor patent 156. The interactioncould lead to potentially dangerous effects lipitor patent 156. Discuss the use of grapefruit andgrapefruit juice with your doctor lipitor patent 156. Do not increase or decrease the amount ofgrapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor lipitor patent 156.

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 patent 156.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur lipitor patent 156. Continueto take Lipitor and talk to your doctor if you experience
· headache;
· upset stomach or flatulence; or
· a rash lipitor patent 156.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur lipitor patent 156. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome lipitor patent 156.

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 patent 156.
• The medications listed above interact with Lipitor and may cause damageyour muscles lipitor patent 156.
• 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 patent 156.
• You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatmentif you are taking any of the medicines listed above lipitor patent 156.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Lipitor lipitor patent 156. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines lipitor patent 156.

Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about Lipitor written forhealth professionals that you may read lipitor patent 156.

Copyright 2005 D-S LTD.
All Rights Reserved.