Lipitor
Lipitor is a medicine that helps lower high levels of fats (like cholesterol) in your blood and can also help reduce your risk of heart problems.
Form
tabletti, kalvopäällysteinen
Strength
80 mg
Active Ingredient
Atorvastatin calcium trihydrate
Manufacturer
Upjohn EESV
How to Use
Dosage
The usual starting dose for adults and children 10 years and older is 10 mg once a day. Your doctor may gradually increase the dose as needed.
Method
Swallow Lipitor tablets whole with water. You can take them at any time of day, with or without food, but try to take them at the same time each day.
Important
The maximum daily dose of Lipitor is 80 mg once a day.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Nasal inflammation, sore throat, nosebleeds
- •Allergic reactions
- •Increased blood sugar levels (monitor closely if you have diabetes), increased creatine kinase in blood
- •Headache
- •Nausea, constipation, gas, indigestion, diarrhea
- •Joint pain, muscle pain, back pain
- •Abnormal liver function test results
RARE
- •Loss of appetite, weight gain, decreased blood sugar levels (monitor closely if you have diabetes)
- •Nightmares, sleeplessness
- •Dizziness, numbness or tingling in fingers and toes, reduced sense of pain or touch, changes in taste, memory loss
- •Blurred vision, vision problems
- •Ringing in the ears and/or head
- •Vomiting, belching, upper and lower abdominal pain, pancreatitis (stomach pain due to inflamed pancreas)
- •Hepatitis (liver inflammation)
- •Skin rash, itching, hives, hair loss
- •Neck pain, muscle fatigue
- •Fatigue, malaise, weakness, chest pain, swelling (especially in the ankles), fever
- •Unexpected bleeding or bruising
- •Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice, from bile duct blockage)
- •Tendon injury
- •Severe allergic reaction with sudden wheezing, chest pain, swelling of eyelids, face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat, difficulty breathing, fainting
- •Hearing loss
- •Gynecomastia (enlargement of male breasts)
- •Persistent muscle weakness, Myasthenia gravis (a disease causing general muscle weakness, sometimes affecting breathing muscles) or ocular myasthenia (a disease causing eye muscle weakness)
Important Warnings
- Do not take Lipitor if you are allergic to atorvastatin or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Do not take Lipitor if you have or have had liver disease, or if your liver blood tests are abnormally high for unknown reasons.
- Do not take Lipitor if you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding. Women of childbearing age must use effective birth control.
- Do not take Lipitor if you are taking glecaprevir/pibrentasvir for hepatitis C.
- Stop taking Lipitor and tell your doctor right away if you experience muscle weakness, tenderness, pain, or muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis), especially if you also feel unwell or have a high fever. This can be serious and lead to kidney damage.
Use in Elderly Patients
Category A
Suitable for older adults. Possible adverse effects include muscle pain and muscular weakness. Consider potential interactions. Avoid grapefruit. (updated 17.4.2023)