Author: Alex Thompson

Atorvastatin Oral: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing

Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. By T’Keyah Bazin, PharmDT’Keyah Bazin, PharmD, is a clinical pharmacist and experienced health content writer. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy. Cholesterol monitoring should begin at 9 years old and continue every four to six years in healthy people with no complications. Your health history will determine whether you should check your cholesterol more frequently.

Before taking Lipitor, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Lipitor to treat high cholesterol.

No herbs or supplements have been reported to interact with Lipitor. However, you should still check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any of these products while taking Lipitor. If your doctor thinks you should take Lipitor with a fibrate, they may decide to lower your dosage of Lipitor or the fibrate. Or they may decide to replace one drug or the other with a different medication. Below are some of the medications that can interact with Lipitor. This section doesn’t cover all drugs that may interact with Lipitor.

However, time of administration does not affect the plasma LDL-C-lowering efficacy of atorvastatin. Do not take any red yeast rice products while you are taking atorvastatin because some red yeast rice products may also contain a statin called lovastatin. Taking atorvastatin and red yeast rice products together can increase your risk of serious muscle and liver problems. Before taking atorvastatin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you have any other allergies.

Dosage for lowering cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular problems

Lipitor can cause the breakdown of muscle tissue, which can lead to kidney failure. This includes patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and those who have previously had a heart attack or stroke. As with other statins, atorvastatin is a competitive inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase. Unlike most others, however, it is a completely synthetic compound. Inhibition of the enzyme decreases de novo cholesterol synthesis, increasing expression of low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDL receptors) on hepatocytes.

This increases LDL uptake by the hepatocytes, decreasing the amount of LDL-cholesterol in the blood. Like other statins, atorvastatin also reduces blood levels of triglycerides and slightly increases levels of HDL-cholesterol. Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while using this medication unless your doctor or pharmacist says you may do so safely. Grapefruit can increase the chance of side effects with this medicine. Lipitor is also used to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems and related hospitalization or surgery. For this purpose, Lipitor doesn’t have to be used with any particular medication.

Will I need to take this drug long term?

By lowering your cholesterol levels, Lipitor helps lower your risk of developing cardiovascular problems or needing treatments such as surgery or hospitalization. Lipitor (atorvastatin) belongs to a class of medications called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins). High levels of LDL correlate with a higher risk of plaque buildup in the arteries. Low-dose statins can prevent a primary or secondary heart event such as heart attack and stroke by lowering the LDL. These include things like your age, your cholesterol levels, and your risk for cardiovascular disease. If you have questions about the statin that is right for you, talk with your doctor.

1. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication.
2. Data sources include Micromedex (updated 3 Mar 2024), Cerner Multum™ (updated 4 Mar 2024), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2024) and others.
3. You may wonder how often certain side effects occur with this drug, or whether certain side effects pertain to it.
4. People with Child Pugh stage B liver disease show a 16-fold increase in Cmax and an 11-fold increase in AUC.
5. You can also ask your pharmacist for information on how to dispose of your medication.

For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works. Other interactions can increase side effects or make them more severe. Lipitor is considered effective for HoFH and HeFH treatment in children.

Lipitor vs. Zocor

Serious drug interactions can occur when certain medicines are used together with atorvastatin. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all medicines you use now, and any medicine you start or stop using. Daily use of alcohol may increase your risk for liver problems, especially when combined with atorvastatin. Pursuing a healthy, balanced diet and engaging in physical exercise are important practices that can improve your cholesterol and lower your risk of heart disease. Older adults and people with risk factors such as heart disease and diabetes should have their cholesterol checked more often.

If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, ask your pharmacist how to correctly dispose of it. If you’re using Lipitor and are able to become pregnant, you should use an effective method of birth control while taking the drug. Therefore, if you’re sexually active, you need to consider your birth control needs while taking Lipitor if you or your partner could become pregnant.

Then they’ll adjust it over time to reach the amount that’s right for you. Your doctor will ultimately prescribe the smallest dosage that provides the desired effect. In clinical trials, reported side effects have generally been the same for males‡ and females‡ taking this drug. Talk to your doctor about other drug options that may work for you.

Statins at all doses should be avoided in pregnant or breastfeeding people due to fetal risk. Statins are pregnancy Category X, meaning they have shown evidence of human risk in clinical trials. Statin use can cause harm and should be avoided during pregnancy as the risks of using the medication outweigh the benefits. Moreover, liver and kidney dysfunction can occur long-term on high statin doses. Statins are classified not only by the type of drug they contain—such as atorvastatin and lovastatin—but also by how much of the drug they contain.

Do I need to follow a certain diet while taking Lipitor?

For this use, it’s combined with a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, or with other cholesterol treatments. If you miss a dose of Lipitor, try to take it as soon as you remember. If it’s been 12 hours or more since you missed your dose, simply skip that dose and take your next dose at your regular time. This can increase your risk of side effects from the medication. Memory loss wasn’t reported in clinical trials of Lipitor or other statins.