LIPITOR ®
Lipitor ® (Atorvastatin) is used with diet changes - restriction of cholesterol and fat intake - to reduce the amount of cholesterol and certain fatty substances in your blood. Accumulation of cholesterol and fats along the walls of your arteries (a process known as atherosclerosis) decreases blood flow and, therefore, the oxygen supply to your heart, brain, and other parts of your body. Lowering your blood level of cholesterol and fats with Lipitor may help to prevent heart disease, angina (chest pain), strokes, and heart attacks.
Lipitor ® is the #1 prescribed cholesterol-lowering medicine prescribed in the U.S. and is manufactured by Pfizer Inc.
Chemical Name: Atorvastatin
Important Note
The following information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional. It should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. Consult your healthcare professional before using this drug.
Uses
Lipitor (Atorvastatin) is used with dietary changes (restriction of cholesterol and fat intake) to reduce the amount of cholesterol and certain fatty substances in your blood. Accumulation of cholesterol and fats along the walls of your arteries (a process known as atherosclerosis) decreases blood flow and, therefore, the oxygen supply to your heart, brain, and other parts of your body. Lowering your blood level of cholesterol and fats with Lipitor may help to prevent heart disease, angina (chest pain), strokes, and heart attacks.
How to take this medication
Lipitor (Atorvastatin) comes as a tablet to take by mouth. Lipitor usually is taken once a day. Follow the Lipitor directions on your Lipitor prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Lipitor/atorvastatin exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of Lipitor or take Lipitor more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Continue to take Lipitor (Atorvastatin) even if you feel well. Do not stop taking Lipitor/atorvastatin without talking to your doctor.
Eat a low-cholesterol, low-fat diet. This kind of diet includes cottage cheese, fat-free milk, fish (not canned in oil), vegetables, poultry, egg whites, and polyunsaturated oils and margarines (corn, safflower, canola, and soybean oils). Avoid foods with excess fat in them such as meat (especially liver and fatty meat), egg yolks, whole milk, cream, butter, shortening, lard, pastries, cakes, cookies, gravy, peanut butter, chocolate, olives, potato chips, coconut, cheese (other than cottage cheese), coconut oil, palm oil, and fried foods.
Side Effects
Although side effects from Lipitor are not common, they can occur. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: gas, stomach pain or cramps, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, headache, blurred vision, dizziness, rash or itching, upset stomach If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: muscle pain, tenderness, muscle cramps or weakness with or without a fever.
Precautions
Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you have liver disease. Before taking Lipitor, tell your doctor if you have a chronic muscular disease, require major surgery, or have a blood disorder. Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially antacids; antifungal medications such as itraconazole (Sporanox) and ketoconazole (Nizoral); digoxin (Lanoxin); erythromycin; medications that suppress the immune system such as cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); oral contraceptives (birth control pills); other cholesterol-lowering medications such as cholestyramine (Questran), colestipol (Colestid), gemfibrozil (Lopid), and niacin (nicotinic acid); and vitamins.
Lipitor is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that Lipitor is known to cause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy. Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether Lipitor passes into breast milk. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Drug Interactions
Tell your doctor of all nonprescription and prescription medication you may use, especially: other nasal products, other corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone). Do not start or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.
Overdose
If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not "double-up" the dose to catch up.
Storage
Store at room temperature between 36 and 77 degrees F (2 -25 degrees C) away from light and moisture.
Lipitor ® is the #1 prescribed cholesterol-lowering medicine prescribed in the U.S. and is manufactured by Pfizer Inc.
Chemical Name: Atorvastatin
Important Note
The following information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional. It should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. Consult your healthcare professional before using this drug.
Uses
Lipitor (Atorvastatin) is used with dietary changes (restriction of cholesterol and fat intake) to reduce the amount of cholesterol and certain fatty substances in your blood. Accumulation of cholesterol and fats along the walls of your arteries (a process known as atherosclerosis) decreases blood flow and, therefore, the oxygen supply to your heart, brain, and other parts of your body. Lowering your blood level of cholesterol and fats with Lipitor may help to prevent heart disease, angina (chest pain), strokes, and heart attacks.
How to take this medication
Lipitor (Atorvastatin) comes as a tablet to take by mouth. Lipitor usually is taken once a day. Follow the Lipitor directions on your Lipitor prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Lipitor/atorvastatin exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of Lipitor or take Lipitor more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Continue to take Lipitor (Atorvastatin) even if you feel well. Do not stop taking Lipitor/atorvastatin without talking to your doctor.
Eat a low-cholesterol, low-fat diet. This kind of diet includes cottage cheese, fat-free milk, fish (not canned in oil), vegetables, poultry, egg whites, and polyunsaturated oils and margarines (corn, safflower, canola, and soybean oils). Avoid foods with excess fat in them such as meat (especially liver and fatty meat), egg yolks, whole milk, cream, butter, shortening, lard, pastries, cakes, cookies, gravy, peanut butter, chocolate, olives, potato chips, coconut, cheese (other than cottage cheese), coconut oil, palm oil, and fried foods.
Side Effects
Although side effects from Lipitor are not common, they can occur. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: gas, stomach pain or cramps, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, headache, blurred vision, dizziness, rash or itching, upset stomach If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: muscle pain, tenderness, muscle cramps or weakness with or without a fever.
Precautions
Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you have liver disease. Before taking Lipitor, tell your doctor if you have a chronic muscular disease, require major surgery, or have a blood disorder. Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially antacids; antifungal medications such as itraconazole (Sporanox) and ketoconazole (Nizoral); digoxin (Lanoxin); erythromycin; medications that suppress the immune system such as cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); oral contraceptives (birth control pills); other cholesterol-lowering medications such as cholestyramine (Questran), colestipol (Colestid), gemfibrozil (Lopid), and niacin (nicotinic acid); and vitamins.
Lipitor is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that Lipitor is known to cause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy. Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether Lipitor passes into breast milk. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Drug Interactions
Tell your doctor of all nonprescription and prescription medication you may use, especially: other nasal products, other corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone). Do not start or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.
Overdose
If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, use it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not "double-up" the dose to catch up.
Storage
Store at room temperature between 36 and 77 degrees F (2 -25 degrees C) away from light and moisture.
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