Lipitor blocks the production of cholesterol (a certain type of fat) in your body. It is used to reduce the amounts of LDL (bad) cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides (another fat), and apolipoprotein B (a protein needed to make cholesterol). Lipitor is also used to increase the level of HDL (good) cholesterol. These actions are important in reducing the risk of hardening of the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. Lipitor may also be used for other purposes than those listed here.

Directions

Take Lipitor as directed by your physician.

• Lipitor is usually taken once a day, usually at the same time. Follow your doctor's instructions.
• Take with a full glass of water.
• Lipitor can be taken with or without food.
• Your doctor may want to monitor your liver function with blood tests before starting treatment, at twelve weeks after both the start of your treatment and any increase in dose, and every 6 months thereafter. Depending on the results, your doctor can determine how much monitoring you will require.
• Do not stop taking Lipitor without first talking to your doctor. It may take weeks or months before beneficial effects are seen.
• Store at room temperature, away from moisture and heat.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor. This could lead to potentially dangerous effects. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products you consume without first talking to your doctor.
• Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. To realize beneficial effects from Lipitor, avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods.

Interactions

Alcohol and Lipitor can both damage your liver. Discuss with your doctor the amount of alcohol that you drink so that it can be determined if Lipitor is the best choice for lowering your cholesterol. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor. The interaction could lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit and grapefruit juice with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.

Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• niacin (Nicolar, Nicobid, Nicotinex, others)
• clarithromycin (Biaxin)
• cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral)
• gemfibrozil (Lopid)
• fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), or ketoconazole (Nizoral)
• erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, Ilotycin, Eryc, PCE, Ilosone, and others)
• other cholesterol-lowering drugs such as cholestyramine (Questran) or colestipol (Colestid) or digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps)

The drugs listed above can interact with Lipitor and may damage your muscles. You could require an adjustment in dosage or special monitoring. Medicines other than the ones listed here may also interact with Lipitor. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking ANY prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

Side Effects

Warning

Do not take Lipitor without first talking to your doctor if you have liver disease. Before taking Lipitor, tell your doctor if you: drink alcoholic beverages, have a chronic muscular disease, require major surgery, or have a blood disorder. You may not be able to take Lipitor, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above. Lipitor is in the FDA pregnancy category X - this means that it will cause birth defects if taken during pregnancy. Cholesterol is nessecary for the proper development of a baby. Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnant or are planning on getting pregnant. We don't know if it passes into breast milk. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding.