About the Drug and its uses

The generic name of the drug Lipitor is called as Atorvastatin. Atorvastatin will reduce the cholesterol levels in the blood and this drug is taken orally. This drug belongs to the drug class known as statins which involves drugs like Simvastatin, Lovastatin, pravastatin, and fluvastatin. Lipitor is the Statin which like other Statins prevent the cholesterol production in the liver by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase enzyme which is used in the synthesis of cholesterol. Statins are known to reduce the total cholesterol along with LDL cholesterol in the blood. LDL cholesterol is considered as bad cholesterol and decreasing the quantity of bad cholesterol will reverse the coronary artery disease. Lipitor also is known to decrease the triglyceride concentration in the blood and increases the good cholesterol or HDL concentrations in blood. The coronary artery disease is associated with high triglyceride concentrations of blood. Lipitor or Atorvastatin will help in treating stroke, angina, congestive heart failure, heart attack and during performing revascularization procedures going on in people with coronary artery disease. This drug is prescribed to be taken once per day at the lower dosage initially of 10 to 20mg. Later, its dosage will be increased to 80mg per day.

Common side effects of Lipitor are

• Muscle pain and weakness
• Rhabdomyolysis (breaking down of muscle cells by releasing several degradation proteins into the blood and further causing renal failure and renal injury).
• Arthritis/ Arthralgia
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Rashes
• Elevation of liver transaminases
• Elevation of Creatine kinase
• Gastrointestinal symptoms which included flatulence, dyspepsia, diarrhea, abdominal pain and various different symptoms of infection.

Serious side effects of Lipitor

• Rhabdomyolysis
• Hepato toxicity
• Right upper quadrant abdominal pain
• Jaundice
• Stevens-Johnsons syndrome
• Toxic epidermal necrolysis
• Photosensitivity
• Vasculitis
• Polymyalgia rheumatica
• Angioedema
• Anaphylaxis
• Pancreatitis

Very rare and unusual side effects of Lipitor are

• Pancreatitis
• Rhabdomyolysis

Precautions to be taken to avoid side effects

If the person has very intense muscle pain, muscle weakness, fever symptoms and urine in dark color, he/she has to approach the doctor. The pregnant women and breast feeding mothers are not advised to use this medication. If the person has diabetes, underactive thyroid, kidney disease, muscle disorder or history of liver disease, it has to be brought to the notice of the physician. The food that has high fat and cholesterol content has to be avoided. Alcohol must not be consumed while taking Lipitor.