safety of lipitor

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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