Lipitor Side Effects
Some of the common side effects associated with the drug include:
- Headache
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Indigestion
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Pain in the muscles or joints
- Swelling in the joint
- Skin reactions like rash and itching
Serious Side Effects of Atorvastatin
In rare cases Lipitor can cause serious side effects. On experiencing any of the severe side effects, patients must consult the doctor for getting themselves monitored. Serious side effects are either controlled by lowering the Lipitor dose or in very rare cases patients are asked to stop taking this medicine. Some of the serious side effects of Atorvastatin include:
- Severe muscle problem that can lead to kidney problems
- Liver problems
- Memory loss
- Blurred vision
- Decrease in the platelets counts in the blood
- Swelling of the legs and ankles
- Serious skin conditions
Lipitor Drug Interactions
Drug interactions are known to modify the actions of the medication. Thus, patients should be aware potential drug interactions with Lipitor. Certain drugs, if taken along with Lipitor, can increase the risk of side effects. Thus, it is important for the patients to inform doctor about all prescription, non-prescription, herbal or vitamins supplements taken by them. If any of the following medications are taken along with Atorvastatin, there can be increased risk of side effects on the muscles.
- Amlodipine
- Amiodarone
- Azole antifungals like Itraconazole, ketoconazole, voriconazole, fluconazole or posaconazole Ciclosporin
- Clarithromycin
- Colchicine
- Diltiazem
- Erythromycin
- Daptomycin
- Ezetimibe
- Fibrates used for lowering cholesterol like bezafibrate and Gemfibrozil
- Niacin
- Fusidic acid
- Protease inhibitors for HIV infection like atazanavir, nelfinavir, lopinavir, indinavir, ritonavir, and tipranavir
Warnings and Important Precautions
There are some important precautions and warnings associated with Lipitor and thus, patients must keep these precautions and warnings in mind while using the drug. This is important to avoid any further health complications and to ensure safe intake of the drug. Individuals taking Lipitor must keep following precautions and warnings in mind:
- The drug should be complimented with low-cholesterol diet and regular exercising.
- Patients are advised to avoid drinking excessive amount of alcohol while taking this drug because this may increase the risk of liver problems or muscle side effects.
- Eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice should be avoided while taking this drug.
- This drug is known to cause an increase in liver enzymes, thus before start using this drug patients are asked to under blood test to assess their liver functioning before starting the drug.
- Pregnant women and nursing mothers should avoid taking Lipitor.
- This medicine is not licensed to be used for children under 10 years of age.
- Lipitor may rarely cause side effects on the muscles.
