Atorvastatin (By mouth)

Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine

Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:

• Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
• Dark-colored urine or pale stools
• Muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness
• Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite
• Change in how much or how often you urinate
• Unexplained fever
• Unusual tiredness or weakness
• Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes

If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:

• Diarrhea
• Joint pain
• Stuffy or runny nose

Drugs and Foods to Avoid

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

• Make sure your doctor knows if you are also using birth control pills, cimetidine (Tagamet®), cyclosporine (Gengraf®, Neoral®, Sandimmune®), digoxin (Lanoxin®), niacin, rifampin (Rifadin®, Rimactane®), spironolactone (Aldactone®), an antibiotic (such as clarithromycin, erythromycin, Biaxin®, or Ery-Tab®), medicine to treat fungus infection (such as fluconazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, Diflucan®, Nizoral®, or Sporanox®), medicine to treat HIV infection (such as efavirenz, indinavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir/saquinavir, saquinavir, Kaletra®, or Viracept®), or other medicine for lowering cholesterol (such as fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, Lopid®, or Tricor®). Make sure your doctor knows if you are using medicines that weaken your immune system, such as a steroid or cancer treatment.
• Tell your doctor if you usually drink more than 2 glasses alcohol per day.
• Do not drink more than 1 liter of grapefruit juice each day.

Warnings While Using This Medicine

• Using this medicine while you are pregnant can harm your unborn baby. Use an effective form of birth control to keep from getting pregnant. If you think you have become pregnant while using the medicine, tell your doctor right away.
• Make sure your doctor knows if you have kidney disease, diabetes, a muscle disorder, or thyroid problems. Make sure your doctor knows if you have recently had a stroke or TIA (transient ischemic attack). Tell your doctor if you have a history of liver disease or if you drink alcohol on a regular basis.
• Call your doctor right away if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have unusual tiredness or a fever. These could be symptoms of a serious muscle problem called myopathy.
• Check with your doctor right away if you have dark-colored urine, fever, muscle cramps or spasms, muscle pain or stiffness, or unusual tiredness or weakness. These could be symptoms of a serious muscle problem called rhabdomyolysis, which can cause kidney problems.
• Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine.
• You may need to stop using this medicine if you have major surgery or a major injury.
• Your doctor will need to check your blood at regular visits while you are using this medicine. Be sure to keep all appointments.

Introduction

Atorvastatin (a-tor-va-STAT-in)

Lowers high cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. Lowers the risk of chest pain, stroke, heart attack, or certain heart and blood vessel problems in people who have certain risk factors. This medicine is an HMG-CoA inhibitor, also called a statin.

Brand Name(s)

Lipitor

How to Store and Dispose of This Medicine

• Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
• Ask your pharmacist, doctor, or health caregiver about the best way to dispose of any outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
• Keep all medicine away from children and never share your medicine with anyone.

If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088

When This Medicine Should Not Be Used

How to Use This Medicine

Tablet

• Your doctor will tell you how much of this medicine to use and how often. Your dose may need to be changed several times in order to find out what works best for you. Do not use more medicine or use it more often than your doctor tells you to.
• Take this medicine at the same time each day. Do not break the tablet.
• Carefully follow your doctor's instructions about diet and exercise. This medicine is only part of a complete plan for lowering cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood.
• This medicine comes with patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

If a dose is missed:

• If you miss a dose or forget to use your medicine, use it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to use the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up for a missed dose. If it has been more than 12 hours since you missed the dose, skip the missed dose.