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Lipitor Side Effects Medication

Lipitor is one of a number of medications called statins which are prescribed to lower cholesterol. While these drugs may help prevent a heart attack or other conditions caused by high cholesterol, they come with a number of side effects.

  1. Function

    • Statins work by blocking an enzyme called the HMG-CoA reductase enzyme. This enzyme produces cholesterol in the liver. Lower cholesterol in the blood decreases the chance that extra cholesterol will build up on the walls of your arteries, especially those in and around your heart and brain. A blockage in a coronary artery, one of the arteries in your heart, causes a heart attack, and a blockage in an artery leading to your brain causes a stroke.

    Side Effects

    • According to WebMD, the most serious side effects that Lipitor can cause are muscle pain and problems with your liver. Call your doctor if you have a yellowish tinge to your skin or eyes, or dark colored urine, as these might indicate a liver problem. Liver problems are rare, but can be serious. Lipitor can cause stomach and digestive tract side effects including nausea, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting and flatulence. Other side effects of Lipitor include headaches, insomnia, chest pain, hair loss, skin rash, depression, and altered levels of blood sugar.

    Medical Tests

    • If you experience muscle pain while you are taking Lipitor, your doctor can order a blood test to measure creatinine kinase levels, and may take you off Lipitor depending on the results of the test. Your doctor will advise periodic blood tests to measure liver function while you are taking Lipitor. These tests will help ensure that you can take Lipitor safely.

    Who Should Not Take Lipitor

    • Anyone with liver or kidney disease should not take Lipitor, nor should someone who drinks more than 3 alcoholic beverages each day on a daily basis. And if you are taking certain types of antibiotics or antifungal medications, you should not take Lipitor. If you are allergic to Lipitor or have had a problem when taking another statin drug, you should be careful taking Lipitor and monitor blood levels carefully.

    When to Call the Doctor

    • If you have muscle pain or weakness and you are taking Lipitor, you should call your doctor. This is especially true if you also have a fever or other flu symptoms. While taking Lipitor, if you have difficulty breathing or shortness of breath when you haven't experienced these symptoms before, you should also call your doctor.

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