c
IMPORTANT FACTS
atorvastatin calcium
(LIP-ih-tore)
)
/ T
A
LOWERING YOUR HIGH CHOLESTEROL
High cholesterol is more than just a number, it’s a risk factor
that should not be ignored. If your doctor said you have high
cholesterol, you may be at an increased risk for heart attack.
But the good news is, you can take steps to lower your
cholesterol.
With the help of your doctor and a cholesterol-lowering
medicine like LIPITOR, along with diet and exercise, you could
be on your way to lowering your cholesterol.
Ready to start eating right and exercising more? Talk to your
doctor and visit the American Heart Association at
www.americanheart.org.
WHO IS LIPITOR FOR?
A
W ho can take LIPITOR:
•
People who cannot lower their cholesterol enough with diet
and exercise
•
Adults and children over
10
W ho should NOT take LIPITOR:
•
Women who are pregnant, may be pregnant, or may become
pregnant. LIPITOR may harm your unborn baby. If you be-
come pregnant, stop LIPITOR and call your doctor right away.
•
Women who are breast-feeding. LIPITOR can pass into your
breast milk and may harm your baby.
•
People with liver problems
•
People allergic to anything in LIPITOR
B
BEFORE YOU START LIPITOR
Tell your doctor:
•
About all medications you take, including prescriptions,
over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and herbal
supplements
•
If you have muscle aches or weakness
•
If you drink more than
2
alcoholic drinks a day
•
If you have diabetes or kidney problems
If you have a thyroid problem
A
ABOUT LIPITOR
A
LIPITOR is a prescription medicine. Along with diet and
exercise, it lowers “bad” cholesterol in your blood. It can also
raise “good” cholesterol (HDL-C).
LIPITOR can lower the risk of heart attack or stroke in patients
who have risk factors for heart disease such as:
•
age, smoking, high blood pressure, low HDL-C, heart
disease in the family,
or
•
diabetes with risk factor such as eye problems,
kidney problems, smoking, or high blood pressure
V
.
Manufactured by Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals, Dublin, Ireland
©
2005
Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals All rights reserved.
Printed in the USA.
A
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF LIPITOR
Serious side effects in a small num ber of people:
•
Muscle problems that can lead to kidney problems, including
kidney failure. Your chance for muscle problems is higher if
you take certain other medicines with LIPITOR.
•
Liver problems. Your doctor may do blood tests to check
your liver before you start LIPITOR and while you are
taking it.
Symptoms of muscle or liver problems include:
•
Unexplained muscle weakness or pain, especially if you have
a fever or feel very tired
•
Nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain
•
Brown or dark-colored urine
•
Feeling more tired than usual
•
Your skin and the whites of your eyes turn yellow
If you have these symptoms, call your doctor right away.
The m ost com m on side effects of LIPITOR are:
•
Headache
•
Constipation
•
Diarrhea, gas
•
Upset stomach and stomach pain
•
Rash
•
Muscle and joint pain
Side effects are usually mild and may go away by themselves.
Fewer than
3
people out of
100
stopped taking LIPITOR
because of side effects.
N .
HOW
TO TAKE LIPITOR
A
Do:
•
Take LIPITOR as prescribed by your doctor.
•
Try to eat heart-healthy foods while you take LIPITOR.
•
Take LIPITOR at any time of day, with or without food.
•
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. But
if it has been more than 12 hours since your missed dose,
wait. Take the next dose at your regular time.
Don’t:
•
Do not change or stop your dose before talking to your doctor.
•
Do not start new medicines before talking to your doctor.
•
Do not give your LIPITOR to other people. It may harm them
even if your problems are the same.
•
Do not break the tablet.
N.
r
.
N
NEED MORE INFORMATION?
Ask your doctor or health care provider.
Talk to your pharmacist.
Go to www.lipitor.com or call
1
-
888
-LIPITOR.
A
Uninsured? Need help paying for Pfizer
medicines? Pfizer has programs that
can help. Call
1
-
866
-
706-2400
or visit
www.PfizerHelpfulAnswers.com.
helpful
'answers®
Distributed by Parke-Davis, Division of Pfizer Inc.
New York, NY
10017
USA
LPIF Rev
2
, Dec
2005
R x o n ly
