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Lipitor

Atorvastatin Calcium

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Description | Uses & Side Effects | Warnings

Generic Name: Atorvastatin (a-TOR-va-STAT-in) Brand Name: Lipitor.
Lipitor is the trade name of atorvastatin and is a cholesterol-reducing medicine which works by blocking the production of cholesterol in the human body. Lipitor works mostly by decreasing the LDL levels in the blood and ultimately decreases the total cholesterol levels. The main purpose that Lipitor serves by decreasing the LDL levels in the blood stream is prevention of heart attack. Heart attacks occur when the arteries get clogged by cholesterol. Some other problems that could result from increased levels of cholesterol in the blood stream include stroke and various forms of vascular diseases. Therefore it is extremely important to decrease high cholesterol levels and avoid cardiovascular diseases. Lipitor also helps combat other conditions like coronary heart disease, type II diabetes and other heart conditions. To derive maximum benefits of Lipitor it is equally important to follow a healthy diet and exercise regime because Lipitor cannot replace either of the two mentioned above.

Lipitor contain the following ingredients:
Active ingredient- atorvastatin calcium
Inactive ingredients: calcium carbonate, USP;
candelilla wax, FCC; croscarmellose sodium, NF;
hydroxypropyl cellulose, NF; lactose monohydrate,
NF; magnesium stearate, NF; microcrystalline
cellulose, NF; Opadry White YS-1-7040 (hypromellose,
polyethylene glycol, talc, titanium dioxide);
polysorbate 80, NF; simethicone emulsion

Common Uses:

Lipitor is a drug used to lower or decrease cholesterol. In addition to following a healthy diet and exercise program Lipitor has been found to be most effective and listed below are some of the salient features of Lipitor:
•Helps decrease LDL or bad cholesterol by about 39-60%
•Helps lower the triglyceride level in the bloodstream by about 19-37%
•Helps increase the HDL levels by about 5-9%
Lipitor can start becoming effective within two weeks. The results will be noticed when one checks cholesterol levels.
In addition to the above it has been amply proven that Lipitor protects the heart by decreasing the risk of attack, stroke, and various forms of cardiovascular surgeries.
Besides the above, Lipitor has been researched for over 15 years and points, one must note that extensive research has been followed diligently prior to introducing it into the market.

Off Label Uses:

Currently there are no known off-label uses of Lipitor.

Side Effects:
There are a number of side effects with Lipitor that you should report immediately to your healthcare provider. These include, but are not limited to:

Signs of liver damage, such as yellow eyes or skin, upper right abdominal pain, dark urine, and elevated liver enzymes.

Muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have a fever or feel ill, since these may be signs of serious breakdown of muscle, known as rhabdomyolysis.
Significant, unexplained changes in the amount of urine you produce (which may be a sign of kidney problems)

Signs of an allergic reaction, such as:

A rash
Itching
Hives
Wheezing or difficulty breathing
Swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat.

Cautions / Warnings:

Some precautions and warnings to be aware of prior to taking Lipitor include the following:

Lipitor can potentially interact with a number of other medications.
If you are an alcoholic or drink alcohol frequently, discuss this with your healthcare provider prior to starting Lipitor. Alcohol can affect the way the liver works, indirectly affecting Lipitor.

Do not eat grapefruit, drink grapefruit juice, or take supplements containing grapefruit while taking Lipitor.

Statins have been known to cause an increase in liver enzymes. Therefore, doctors typically recommend that you have a blood test that assesses your liver function before starting Lipitor, again 12 weeks after treatment has started, and then periodically thereafter.

In rare cases, rhabdomyolysis (the severe breakdown of muscles) has been reported with Lipitor and other statins. Make sure to contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any muscle pain, weakness, or tenderness, especially if it is accompanied by a fever or if you feel ill.

Lipitor is a pregnancy Category X medicine, meaning that it could potentially cause harm to your unborn child. Therefore, doctors do not recommend this drug for women who are pregnant. If you are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant, talk to your healthcare provider immediately.

If you are nursing, you should not take Lipitor. Ask your healthcare provider whether to stop nursing or stop taking the drug.

Drug Interactions:
Lipitor Drug Interactions
Some drugs that may interact negatively with Lipitor include birth control pills, fibrates, and fluconazole. Interactions also may occur with medications such as niacin and digoxin.

Lipitor® (atorvastatin calcium) can potentially interact with a number of other medicines. Products that can cause drug interactions with Lipitor include:

Birth control pills (oral contraceptives)
Certain antibiotics, such as:

Erythromycin
Clarithromycin (Biaxin®)
Rifampin (Rifadin®)
Telithromycin (Ketek®)

Certain antifungal medications, including:

Fluconazole (Diflucan®)
Ketoconazole (Nizoral®)
Itraconazole (Sporanox®)
Miconazole
Posaconazole (Noxafil®)
Voriconazole (VFEND®)

Cyclosporine (Gengraf®, Neoral®, Sandimmune®)
Digoxin (Digitek®, Lanoxin®, Lanoxicaps®)
Diltiazem (Cardizem®, Cardizem CD®, Cardizem LA®, Cartia XT®, Dilacor XR®, Dilt-CD®, Diltia XT®, Dilt-XR®, Taztia XT®, Tiazac®)
Efavirenz (Sustiva®)
Fibrates (Lopid®, TriCor®, Triglide™, Antara™, Lofibra®, Lipofen™)
Grapefruit juice
Niacin (nicotinic acid, Niacor®, Nicolar®)
Other statin medications, such as:

Fluvastatin (Lescol®, Lescol® XL)
Lovastatin (Altoprev™, Mevacor®)
Pravastatin (Pravachol®)
Simvastatin (Zocor®)
Rosuvastatin (Crestor®)

Protease inhibitors, such as:

Amprenavir (Agenerase®)
Atazanavir (Reyataz®)
Darunavir (Prezista®)
Fosamprenavir (Lexiva®)
Indinavir (Crixivan®)
Lopinavir and ritonavir (Kaletra®)
Nelfinavir (Viracept®)
Ritonavir (Norvir®)
Saquinavir (Fortovase®, Invirase®)
Tipranavir (Aptivus®).

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About Lipitor

Generic Name: Atorvastatin (a-TOR-va-STAT-in) Brand Name: Lipitor. Lipitor is the trade name of atorvastatin and is a cholesterol-reducing medicine which works by blocking the production of cholesterol in the human body. Lipitor works mostly by decreasing the LDL levels in the blood and ultimately decreases the total cholesterol levels. The main purpose that Lipitor serves by decreasing the LDL levels in the blood stream is prevention of heart attack. Heart attacks occur when the arteries get clogged by cholesterol. Some other problems that could result from increased levels of cholesterol in the blood stream include stroke and various forms of vascular diseases. Therefore it is extremely important to decrease high cholesterol levels and avoid cardiovascular diseases. Lipitor also helps combat other conditions like coronary heart disease, type II diabetes and other heart conditions. To derive maximum benefits of Lipitor it is equally important to follow a healthy diet and exercise regime because Lipitor cannot replace either of the two mentioned above. Lipitor contain the following ingredients: Active ingredient- atorvastatin calcium Inactive ingredients: calcium carbonate, USP; candelilla wax, FCC; croscarmellose sodium, NF; hydroxypropyl cellulose, NF; lactose monohydrate, NF; magnesium stearate, NF; microcrystalline cellulose, NF; Opadry White YS-1-7040 (hypromellose, polyethylene glycol, talc, titanium dioxide); polysorbate 80, NF; simethicone emulsion

Source: Wikipedia

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