Lipitor and Muscle Aches

Lipitor is often prescribed to treat high cholesterol and high triglycerides. The medication is also used to help prevent cardiovascular disease. It belongs to a class of drugs known as statins, which block an enzyme that controls the rate of cholesterol production in the body. Potential side effects include headaches, muscle pain, diarrhea, and joint pain.

Muscle aches (or pain) are relatively common side effects of Lipitor occurring in up to 5.6 percent of people taking the drug in clinical studies. Muscle aches are more common when people first start taking Lipitor (or when the Lipitor dosage is increased). For most people taking Lipitor, muscle aches occur without any other more serious muscle-related symptoms.

Very rarely, people develop a serious problem with their muscles while on Lipitor, and muscle aches can be one symptom of such serious problems.
Two serious muscle problems that are rarely seen in people taking Lipitor are myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis is very serious because it can lead to muscle breakdown, which can cause the kidneys to stop working properly (acute kidney failure).

If you are taking Lipitor and develop muscle aches, weakness, tenderness, or pain (especially if you also have a fever or feel ill), call your healthcare provider immediately. This could be a sign that you have a serious condition that needs treatment right away.

For people taking Lipitor, muscle aches can be a common problem, especially during the initial months of treatment or when the Lipitor dosage is increased. Unfortunately, it is not possible for your healthcare provider to know whether you will develop this side effect if you have never taken Lipitor. If muscle aches do become a problem while you are taking Lipitor, talk with your healthcare provider. He or she may be able to give you other suggestions for dealing with muscle aches. If the muscle aches continue, he or she may recommend adjusting the Lipitor dosage or switching to another cholesterol medication.

Also, if muscle aches, weakness, pain, or tenderness occur, accompanied by a fever or feeling of sickness, it can mean there is a serious problem. Call your healthcare provider immediately.

Lipitor and Zocor: Are they equally effective?

Are Lipitor and Zocor equally effective? I take Lipitor for high cholesterol, but is there any reason I can't switch to a generic version of Zocor?

Answer:

This is a common and important question. With the high cost of many prescription medications, more people are considering switching to cheaper generic versions of brand-name drugs. Lipitor and Zocor belong to a class of drugs called statins, which are used to lower blood cholesterol. Zocor (simvastatin) is available as a generic. Lipitor (atorvastatin) likely won't be available as a generic until late 2011.

However, in addition to cost, you should also consider the effectiveness of your cholesterol-lowering medication when trying to decide if you should switch medications.

Talk to your doctor about whether switching from Lipitor to a generic version of Zocor is appropriate in your specific situation to reduce prescription drug costs. Keep in mind that each of these medications is different, and you may have side effects, such as muscle pain, from one medication, but not the other.

Both Lipitor and Zocor are safe and effective in lowering cholesterol. However, you can take half the amount of Lipitor as Zocor, with the same results. For example, 10 milligrams (mg) of Lipitor has the same cholesterol-lowering effect as 20 mg of Zocor. It's possible that in people with high cholesterol, Zocor at a higher dose will be just as effective as Lipitor.

However, if you need to take more than 40 mg of Lipitor, Zocor will not be as effective. The maximum dose of Zocor that you can safely take is 80 mg, which is equivalent to a dose of about 40 mg of Lipitor.

Lipitor and Grapefruit

Interactions can occur between grapefruit and Lipitor, resulting in an increased level of medication in the blood. If you are taking Lipitor, you should not eat or drink any grapefruit products, including supplements. The combination of the two can increase your chances of developing serious muscle problems, which can potentially lead to kidney failure or other life-threatening complications.

Combining Grapefruit and Lipitor

Grapefruit products, such as grapefruit, grapefruit juice, or grapefruit supplements, can interact with some cholesterol-lowering statins and increase the level of medication in your blood. Lipitor(atorvastatin calcium) is one of these statins.

The Lipitor-Grapefruit Interaction

Grapefruit pro ducts are believed to interfere with an enzyme your body uses to break down Lipitor. This means that the drug stays in your body longer when it interacts with grapefruit. In fact, clinical studies have shown that grapefruit can significantly increase the levels of Lipitor in a person's blood.

In one study, drug levels increased by 83 percent in those who drank grapefruit juice three times a day compared to the people who only drank water.

Recommendations

If you are taking Lipitor, you should not:

• Drink grapefruit juice
• Eat grapefruit
• Use grapefruit supplements.

Doing any of these things can increase the levels of medication in your blood. This can increase your chances of developing serious muscle problems (myopathy or rhabdomyolysis) that can lead to kidney failure and other life-threatening complications.

If you are currently on Lipitor and want to continue eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice, talk to your doctor about other Lipitor alternatives. Several cholesterol drugs do not seem to interact with grapefruit. For example, Crestor does not appear to have any negative interactions with grapefruit products.

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Cholesterol Medication - Lipitor Atorvastatin

What Is High Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a lipid, a type of fat found in the body. Having high "bad" cholesterol means you have too much LDL in your blood. LDL is low-density lipoprotein, or "bad" cholesterol.
Too much cholesterol in the blood, or high cholesterol, can be serious. People with high cholesterol are at risk of getting heart disease. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Only about 20% of cholesterol comes from the foods you eat. The other 80% is made by your body. Things such as age and family health history affect how much cholesterol your body makes.

Cholesterol levels tend to rise as you get older. Unfortunately, there are usually no signs that you have high cholesterol. But it can be detected with a blood test. These tests can also help your doctor predict what your risk for heart disease may be.
Cholesterol Treatment Options

If you have high cholesterol, that may put you at a higher risk for heart disease. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke. But there are ways to help improve your heart health. You can change your lifestyle through diet, exercise, and, if needed, a cholesterol medication.
Diet and Exercise
A healthy diet is important when working to lower your cholesterol. Small changes can make a big impact on lowering bad cholesterol (LDL). These may include:
- Increasing your intake of soluble fiber - Lowering your intake of saturated fats - Reducing fat intake to about 30% of your total calories in a day

Cholesterol-Lowering Medication
For 2 out of 3 adults with high cholesterol, diet and exercise alone may not be enough.
Why?
Your body makes about 80% of your cholesterol. Only about 20% comes from the food you eat. For many people a cholesterol medicine is needed in addition to a healthy diet and daily exercise.
Along with diet and exercise, your doctor may prescribe medication to help lower your cholesterol. LIPITOR is clinically proven to lower bad cholesterol 39%-60%, when diet and exercise are not enough (average effect depending on dose).

LIPITOR is FDA approved to reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke, certain kinds of heart surgeries, and chest pain in patients with several common risk factors for heart disease, including family history, high blood pressure, age, low HDL ("good" cholesterol), or smoking.
LIPITOR is a prescription drug. It is used in patients with multiple risk factors for heart disease such as family history, high blood pressure, age, low HDL ("good" cholesterol) or smoking to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
LIPITOR is also used in patients with type 2 diabetes and at least one other risk factor for heart disease such as high blood pressure, smoking or complications of diabetes, including eye disease and protein in urine, to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
LIPITOR is not for everyone. It is not for those with liver problems. And it is not for women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant.

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