Before taking Lipitor (atorvastatin), tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you had a severe reaction to other "statins" (e.g., simvastatin); or if you have any other allergies.
Lipitor (atorvastatin) should not be used if you have a certain medical condition. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: current liver disease.
Before using Lipitor (atorvastatin), tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: history of liver disease, kidney disease, alcohol use/abuse.
Rarely, use of Lipitor (atorvastatin) can result in severe muscle damage (see also Side Effects section). Infrequently, this muscle damage can lead to serious kidney problems. Your doctor will usually direct you to stop taking Lipitor (atorvastatin) for a time if you develop a condition that can increase your risk of kidney problems. Tell your doctor immediately if you have any of the following conditions: serious illness/injury (e.g., sepsis, severe metabolic/endocrine/electrolyte disorders), very low blood pressure, uncontrolled seizures.
Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking Lipitor (atorvastatin).
Limit alcoholic beverages. Daily use of alcohol may increase your risk for liver problems, especially when combined with Lipitor (atorvastatin). Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of the drug, especially muscle problems.
Lipitor (atorvastatin) must not be used during pregnancy. Lipitor (atorvastatin) may harm an unborn baby. Therefore, it is important to prevent pregnancy while taking Lipitor (atorvastatin). Consult your doctor for more details and to discuss using at least 2 reliable forms of birth control (e.g., condoms, birth control pills) while taking Lipitor (atorvastatin). If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor immediately.
Lipitor (atorvastatin) may pass into breast milk and could have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Therefore, breast-feeding is not recommended while using Lipitor (atorvastatin). Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The preceding information is intended to heighten awareness of health information and does not suggest diagnosis or treatment. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
Store at room temperature between 68-77 degrees F (20-25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.
Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The preceding information is intended to heighten awareness of health information and does not suggest diagnosis or treatment. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
Take Lipitor (atorvastatin) by mouth with or without food, usually once daily or as directed by your doctor.
Dosage of Lipitor (atorvastatin) is based on your medical condition, response to treatment, and use of certain interacting medicines. Many of the drugs listed in the Drug Interactions section may increase the chances of muscle problems when used with Lipitor (atorvastatin). Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while being treated with Lipitor (atorvastatin) unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. Grapefruit juice can increase the amount of certain medications in your bloodstream. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
If you also take certain other drugs to lower your cholesterol (bile acid-binding resins such as cholestyramine or colestipol), take Lipitor (atorvastatin) at least 1 hour before or at least 2 hours after taking these medications.
Take Lipitor (atorvastatin) regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. Remember to take it at the same time each day. It may take up to 4 weeks before you get the full benefit of Lipitor (atorvastatin).
It is important to continue taking Lipitor (atorvastatin) even if you feel well. Most people with high cholesterol or triglycerides do not feel sick.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The preceding information is intended to heighten awareness of health information and does not suggest diagnosis or treatment. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
Diarrhea or stomach/abdominal pain may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Remember that your doctor has prescribed Lipitor (atorvastatin) because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using Lipitor (atorvastatin) do not have serious side effects.
Lipitor (atorvastatin) may infrequently cause muscle problems (which can rarely lead to a very serious condition called rhabdomyolysis). Tell your doctor immediately if you develop any of these symptoms: muscle pain/tenderness/weakness (especially with fever or unusual tiredness), change in the amount of urine.
Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: yellowing eyes/skin, dark urine, severe stomach/abdominal pain, persistent nausea/vomiting.
A very serious allergic reaction to Lipitor (atorvastatin) is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Click HERE to learn more about Lipitor side effects.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The preceding information is intended to heighten awareness of health information and does not suggest diagnosis or treatment. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
If you miss a dose of Lipitor (atorvastatin), take 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 the dose to catch up.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The preceding information is intended to heighten awareness of health information and does not suggest diagnosis or treatment. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.
Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor or pharmacist first.
See also How to Use section.
Lipitor (atorvastatin) should not be used with the following medication because very serious (possibly fatal) interactions may occur: telithromycin.
If you are currently using Lipitor (atorvastatin), tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting Lipitor (atorvastatin).
Infrequently, muscle problems (myopathy) may occur when Lipitor (atorvastatin) is used with certain other drugs that lower cholesterol/triglycerides. Use caution if you are taking the following drugs along with Lipitor (atorvastatin), and tell your doctor immediately if any muscle problems (see also Side Effects section) occur: fibrates (e.g., gemfibrozil, fenofibrate), high doses of niacin (1 gram or more per day).
Before using Lipitor (atorvastatin), tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: aliskiren, hormonal birth control (e.g., pills, patch, ring), clopidogrel, daptomycin, digoxin, drugs affecting liver enzymes that remove Lipitor (atorvastatin) from your body (such as azole antifungals including itraconazole/ketoconazole, certain macrolide antibiotics including erythromycin/clarithromycin/troleandomycin, HIV protease inhibitors including indinavir/ritonavir, amiodarone, cyclosporine, diltiazem, efavirenz, nefazodone, rifampin, St. John's wort, carbamazepine).
This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The preceding information is intended to heighten awareness of health information and does not suggest diagnosis or treatment. This information is not a substitute for individual medical attention and should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. See your health care professional for medical advice and treatment.