Drug Name

Lipitor (Atorvastatin)

Drug Uses

Lipitor is hand-me-down with diet changes (stipulation of cholesterol and fat intake) to grind the amount of cholesterol and unquestioned fatty substances in your blood. Stock of cholesterol and fats along the walls of your arteries (a take care of known as atherosclerosis) decreases blood overflowing and, therefore, the oxygen reserve to your heart, perception, and other parts of your viscosity. Lowering your blood even of cholesterol and fats may hands to prevent heart illness, angina (Chest headache), strokes, and heart attacks.

How to use

Lipitor comes as a memo pad to take it orally. It is by taken once a day with or without nourishment. To help you remember to attract Lipitor, take it in all directions from the same time every day. Your doctor may start you on a low administer of Lipitor and gradually broaden your dose. Keep on to take Lipitor unchanging if you feel well. Do not standstill taking Lipitor without talking to your doctor. Eat a low-cholesterol, low-fat fast

Drug Class and Mechanism

Atorvastatin is an spoken drug that lowers the straight with of cholesterol in the blood. It belongs to a arrange of drugs referred to as statins which includes lovastatin (Mevacor), simvastatin, (Zocor), fluvastatin (Lescol), and pravastatin (Pravachol). All statins, including atorvastatin, hamper the production of cholesterol by the liver by blocking the enzyme that makes cholesterol, HMGCoA reductase. They take down total blood cholesterol as poetically as LDL cholesterol levels. (LDL cholesterol is believed to be the \\"bad\\" cholesterol that is mostly responsible for the development of coronary artery infection.) Lowering LDL cholesterol levels retards concatenation and may even reverse coronary artery complaint. Unlike the other drugs in this domain, atorvastatin also can turn the concentration of triglycerides in the blood. Great blood concentrations of triglycerides also force been associated with coronary artery cancer. Atorvastatin was approved by the FDA in December of 1996.

Missed Dose

Express the missed dose as in the last as you remember. However, if it is not quite time for the next regularly scheduled portion, skip the missed dose and appropriate the next one as directed. Do not parody a double dose of this medication unless else directed by your doctor.

Storage

Food this medication in the container it came in, closely closed, and out of reach of children. Trust in it at room temperature and away from remaining heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Fell away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your posologist about the proper disposal of your medication.

Warnings/Precautions

Do not cheat Lipitor without maiden talking to your doctor if you procure liver disease. To come taking Lipitor, spill one's guts your doctor if you from a chronic muscular affliction, require major surgery, or get a blood disorder. You may not be talented to take Lipitor, or you may be missing a dosage adjustment or extra monitoring during treatment if you compel ought to any of the conditions listed beyond everything. Lipitor is in the FDA pregnancy group X. This means that Lipitor is known to case birth defects if it is infatuated during pregnancy. Do not carry Lipitor if you are pregnant or could enhance pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether Lipitor passes into bust milk. Do not take this medication without maiden talking to your doctor if you are teat-feeding a baby.

Possible Side Effects

Although side effects from Lipitor are not mutual, they can occur. Berate your doctor if any of these symptoms are austere or do not go away: gas taste pain or cramps diarrhea constipation heartburn bane blurred vision dizziness multitude or itching upset hankering If you experience any of the following symptoms, bidding your doctor instanter: muscle woe tenderness muscle cramps or fault with or without a fever.

More Information

• Rare cases of muscle problems and liver problems possess been associated with the use of atorvastatin and other equivalent medicines. Contact your doctor unhesitatingly if you experience unexplained muscle ordeal, tenderness, or weakness, remarkably if accompanied by a fever or flulike symptoms or yellowing of the strip or eyes, abdominal aching, unexplained fatigue, night colored urine or peakish colored stools. These may be antiquated symptoms of muscle or liver problems. If you ordeal any of the following serious side effects, close taking atorvastatin and quest after emergency medical concentration or contact your doctor directly: an allergic answer (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; protuberance of the lips, tongue, or allow; or hives); decreased urine or rust-colored urine; or blurred mirage. Other, less straight-faced side effects may be more apt to to occur. Continue to understand atorvastatin and talk to your doctor if you taste headache; tip over stomach or flatulence; or a injudicious. Side eff