WHAT IS Lipitor/Atorvastatin?

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

WHAT HAPPENS IF I OVERDOSE?

• The symptoms of an Lipitor/atorvastatin overdose are not known.
• Seek emergency medical attention if an overdose is suspected.

WHAT DRUG(S) MAY INTERACT WITH Lipitor/Atorvastatin?

• medicines for fungal infections (examples: Diflucan/fluconazole, Sporanox/itraconazole, Nizoral/ketoconazole, voriconazole)
• alcohol-containing beverages
• Carbatrol/carbamazepine
• antacids
• Verelan sr/verapamil
• Actos/pioglitazone
• Phenytek er/phenytoin
• Trileptal/oxcarbazepine
• rifampin, rifabutin, or rifapentine
• medicines for treating HIV infection
• imatinib, STI-571
• Lopid/gemfibrozil
• nefazodone
• bosentan
• birth control pills
• Tricor/fenofibrate
• niacin
• Dilacor er/Diltiazem xl/diltiazem
• herbal medicines such as St. John's Wort or Went Yeast/Red Rice Yeast
• grapefruit juice
• colestipol
• barbiturates (examples: phenobarbital, butalbital, Mysoline/primidone)
• Gengraf/cyclosporine
• telithromycin
• certain antibiotics such as Biaxin/clarithromycin, Ilosone/erythromycin, or troleandomycin

WHAT HAPPENS IF I MISS A DOSE?

• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication.

WHAT SHOULD I DISCUSS WITH MY DOCTOR BEFORE TAKING Lipitor/Atorvastatin?

• You may not be able to take Lipitor/atorvastatin, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
• Do not take Lipitor/atorvastatin without first talking to your doctor if you have liver disease.
• Lipitor/Atorvastatin is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This means that Lipitor/atorvastatin is known to cause birth defects if it is taken during pregnancy. Do not take Lipitor/atorvastatin if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.
• It is not known whether Lipitor/atorvastatin passes into breast milk. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
• Before taking Lipitor/atorvastatin, tell your doctor if you
  • have a blood disorder.
  • drink alcoholic beverages,
  • have a chronic muscular disease,
  • require major surgery, or

HOW SHOULD I TAKE Lipitor/Atorvastatin?

• Take Lipitor/atorvastatin exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
• Your doctor may want to monitor your liver function with blood tests before starting treatment with Lipitor/atorvastatin, at twelve weeks after both the start of your treatment and any increase in dose, and periodically (every 6 months) thereafter. Depending on the results of these tests, your doctor can determine how much monitoring you will require.
• It is important to take Lipitor/atorvastatin regularly to get the most benefit.
• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor/atorvastatin. 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.
• Eat a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. To realize beneficial effects from Lipitor/atorvastatin, avoid fatty, high-cholesterol foods.
• Lipitor/Atorvastatin is usually taken once a day. Try to take your dose at the same time each day. Follow your doctor's instructions.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water.
• Store Lipitor/atorvastatin at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
• Do not stop taking Lipitor/atorvastatin without first talking to your doctor. Lipitor/Atorvastatin may need to be taken on a long-term basis for the treatment of high cholesterol.
• Lipitor/Atorvastatin can be taken with or without food.
• Your doctor may want you to have blood tests or other medical evaluations during treatment with Lipitor/atorvastatin to monitor progress and side effects.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF Lipitor/Atorvastatin?

• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking Lipitor/atorvastatin and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately:
  • decreased urine or rust-colored urine; or
  • blurred vision.
  • an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take Lipitor/atorvastatin and talk to your doctor if you experience
  • headache;
  • upset stomach or flatulence; or
  • a rash.
• Rare cases of muscle problems and liver problems have been associated with the use of Lipitor/atorvastatin and other similar medicines. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if accompanied by a fever or flulike symptoms or yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal pain, unexplained fatigue, dark colored urine or pale colored stools. These may be early symptoms of muscle or liver problems.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

WHAT SHOULD I AVOID WHILE TAKING Lipitor/Atorvastatin?

• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Lipitor/atorvastatin. 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.
• Alcohol and Lipitor/atorvastatin can both be damaging to the liver. Alcohol should be used only in moderation. Discuss the use of alcohol with your doctor so that the potential for liver problems can be determined.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.