What is Lipitor?
Lipitor (commonly called ‘atorvastatin’) belongs to a group of drugs known as HMG CoA reductase inhibitors, or as you and me may have heard of… “statins”. Lipitor, just like other statins, reduces levels of “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or ‘LDL’) and triglycerides in the blood, while increasing levels of “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, or ‘HDL’).
Why do you want more HDL and less LDL? Because it your levels of good and bad cholesterol are regarded as key indicators in terms of heart disease and related health problems.
Lipitor (or Atorvastatin) reduces the production of LDL cholesterol by blocking the action of the enzyme in the liver (called HMG-CoA reductase) that is responsible for its production. This action reduces the amount of cholesterol in the liver cells, which causes them to take up LDL cholesterol from the blood. The reduced cholesterol production and increased removal of LDL cholesterol from the blood ultimately results in lowered blood cholesterol levels. Beautiful.
Lowering cholesterol is a medically acknowledged way to lower the risk of strokes, heart attacks, or other heart complications in people with coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or other risk factors (for example smoking, high blood pressure, diabetic eye disease or diabetic kidney disease). Lipitor and its ability to help with the reduction of cholesterol in the blood can be a key mechanism used to treat high cholesterol.
Lipitor Side effects
Of course, with any medicine you take there are side effects. It is always a case of balancing the side effects with the benefits they produce.
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side-effect. Everyone is different.
Common Lipitor Side Effects (e.g. affects 10% to 1% of users)
- Skin reactions such as rash or itch
- Back pain
- Dizziness
- Feeling of weakness
- Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, flatulence or abdominal pain
- Indigestion
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Nose bleeds
- Muscle, bone or joint pain
- Headaches
- Difficulties sleeping (insomnia)
- Decreased sensitivity to touch or pain, or pins and needles sensations around limbs
- Chest pain
Uncommon Lipitor Side Effects (e.g. affects 1% to 0.1% of users)
Obviously, if you are suffering with any of these, please consult with a medical professional as regards your medication.
- Muscle pain
- Hair loss (alopecia)
- Loss of appetite
- Vomiting
- Decrease in the number of blood cells called platelets in the blood (thrombocytopenia)
- Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
- Weight gain
- Liver disorders
- Changes in blood sugar levels
Rare Lipitor Side Effects (e.g. affects 0.1% to 0.01% of users)
- Muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis)
- Inflammation of the muscles (myositis)
- Swelling of the legs and ankles due to excess fluid retention (peripheral oedema)
- Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
- Fever
Very rare Lipitor Side Effects (e.g. affects less than 0.01% of users)
- Enlargement of the breasts in men
- Taste changes
- Visual disturbances
- Serious skin conditions such as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome or toxic epidermal necrolysis
- Enlargement of the breasts in men
- Taste changes
Other Reported Lipitor Problems of Unknown frequency:
These have been reported, but any link tends to be anecdotal. It is unknown if they are caused by other factors or by the statin.
- Interstitial lung disease
- Depression
- Memory loss
- Sleep disturbances
- Sexual problems
Further Lipitor Information
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the medicine’s manufacturer.
For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.
How can Lipitor affect other medicines?
Obviously, medicines when taken in combination can produce other effects.
It is important to tell your doctor what medicines you are taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine.
Similarly, ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, so they can check that the combination is safe.
There may be an increased risk of side effects on the muscles (myopathy) if Lipitor is taken with any of the following medicines:
- ciclosporin
- clarithromycin
- daptomycin
- diltiazem
- amiodarone
- amlodipine
- azole antifungals, eg itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole
- erythromycin
- ezetimibe
- fibrates for lowering cholesterol, eg bezafibrate, gemfibrozil
- fusidic acid
- niacin (nicotinic acid)
- protease inhibitors for HIV infection, eg nelfinavir, ritonavir
- telithromycin
- verapamil
Lipitor may increase the blood level of digoxin. If you are taking both these medicines the amount of digoxin in your blood should be monitored.
The anti-blood-clotting effect of anticoagulants such as warfarin may be affected by atorvastatin. For this reason, if you are taking an anticoagulant your doctor may want to check your blood-clotting time when you start or stop treatment with Lipitor, and if your atorvastatin dose is altered.
Atorvastatin may slightly increase the blood levels of ethinylestradiol and norethisterone that are found in certain brands of the contraceptive pill. Your doctor should take this into account if you are taking this medicine and need an oral contraceptive.
Also note that the following medicines may reduce the amount of atorvastatin in your blood and could make your course of the drug less effective:
- efavirenz
- rifampicin
- the herbal remedy St John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum)
- Other medicines containing the same active ingredient as atorvastatin
Warning!
You should continue to follow a cholesterol-lowering diet during treatment with this medicine. Discuss this with your doctor.
It is recommended that you avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol while taking this medicine. In fact this would generally improve anyone’s health.
You should avoid drinking grapefruit juice while taking atorvastatin. This is because lipitor and grapefruit juice combine to alter the metabolism of the drug and could increase the amount of the medicine in your blood, thus increasing the risk of side effects.
This medicine may rarely cause liver problems. For this reason your doctor will want you to have blood tests to monitor your liver function (liver function tests) before starting treatment and regularly throughout treatment with this medicine.
Consult your doctor promptly if you develop unexplained itching, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice), unusually dark urine, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pains, loss of appetite or flu-like symptoms while taking this medicine, as these could be signs of a liver problem.
Atorvastatin may very rarely have side effects on the muscles. For this reason you should inform your doctor immediately if you experience any muscular symptoms such as pain, tenderness, cramps, or weakness while taking this medicine, particularly if it is accompanied by a fever or feeling generally unwell. Your doctor may need to check for side effects on the muscles by taking a blood test to measure the level of a compound called creatinine kinase in your blood. If this is the case, the test should not be done following strenuous exercise.
Statins may very rarely be associated with a type of lung disease. For this reason, you should consult your doctor if you experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, a non-productive cough and deterioration in your general health (eg weight loss, fever, fatigue) while taking this medicine.
The manufacturer has not studied the effect of this medicine in children aged under 10 years, or in girls who have not yet started their periods. The medicine is not recommended for children under ten years of age. The long-term effects of the medicine in children aged 10 to 18 years have not been studied.
Finally, Use with caution in:
- Decreased kidney function
- Decreased liver function
- History of liver disease
- People aged over 70 years
- People who drink large amounts of alcohol
- People with underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism)
- Personal or family history of hereditary muscle disorders
- People who have recently had a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain (haemorrhagic stroke)
Not to be used in:
- Cases of active liver disease
- Unexplained raised results in liver function tests
- Pregnancy
- Breastfeeding
- Lipitor tablets contain lactose and are not suitable for people with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, Lapp lactose deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption.
This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.
If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Remember:
The information within this site is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgement of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse events, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular medicine is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any medicine, changing any diet, or discontinuing any course of treatment.