Clinical Services, Cross County Medical, Brooklyn, New York

Information about Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) Tablets

What is Lipitor?
Lipitor is a prescription medicine that lowers cholesterol in your blood. Lipitor can lower the risk for heart attack or stroke in patients who have risk factors for heart disease, such as:

Age
Smoking
High blood pressure
Low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or "good" cholesterol
Heart disease in the family
Diabetes with risk factors such as eye problems, kidney problems, smoking, or high blood pressure

Who should not take Lipitor?
Do not take Lipitor if you:

Are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, or are planning to become pregnant
Are breast-feeding
Have liver problems
Are allergic to Lipitor or any of its ingredients

What should you tell your doctor before you start taking Lipitor?
Tell your doctor if you:

Have muscle aches or weakness
Drink more than two glasses of alcohol daily
Have diabetes
Have a thyroid problem
Have kidney problems

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Lipitor and certain other medicines can interact, causing serious side effects. Especially tell your doctor if you take medicines for:

Your immune system
Cholesterol
Infections
Birth control
Heart failure
HIV or AIDS

How should you take Lipitor?

Take Lipitor exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
Do not change your dose or stop taking Lipitor without talking to your doctor.
Take Lipitor each day at any time of day, at about the same time each day. Lipitor can be taken with or without food. Do not break Lipitor tablets before taking.
Your doctor should start you on a low-fat diet before giving you Lipitor. Stay on this low-fat diet when you take Lipitor.

If you miss a dose of Lipitor, take it as soon as you remember. Do not take two doses of Lipitor at the same time. If it has been more than 12 hours since you missed your last dose, wait and take the next dose at your regular time.

What are the possible side effects of Lipitor?
Serious side effects include:

Muscle problems. Lipitor can cause serious muscle problems that can lead to kidney problems, including kidney failure.
Liver problems. Lipitor can cause liver problems. Your doctor may do blood tests to check your liver before you start taking Lipitor, and while you take it.

Call your doctor right away if:

You have muscle problems, such as weakness, tenderness, or pain, that happen without a good reason, especially if you also have a fever or feel more tired than usual
You have nausea and vomiting
You are passing brown or dark-colored urine
You feel more tired than usual
Your skin and whites of your eyes get yellow
You have stomach pain

Common side effects of Lipitor include headache, constipation, diarrhea, gas, upset stomach, stomach pain, rash, and muscle and joint pain. These side effects are usually mild and may go away. These are not all the side effects of Lipitor. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you notice side effects that are not listed here, or if any side effects bother you or will not go away.

Compensation for this communication was provided by Pfizer Inc, maker of Lipitor.

This tear sheet is provided as reference material and is based in part on information derived from third parties. CVS Caremark does not assume any liability for the accuracy or completeness of any third-party material in this tear sheet. Your privacy is important to us. Our employees are trained regarding the appropriate way to handle your private health information. No personal information about you will be provided to Pfizer, Inc.

This document contains references to brand-name prescription drugs that are trademarks or registered trademarks of pharmaceutical manufacturers that are not affiliated with CVS Caremark.