Atorvastatin is used along with a proper diet to help lower "bad" cholesterol and fats (e.g., LDL, triglycerides) and raise "good" cholesterol (HDL) in the blood. It belongs to a group of drugs known as "statins". It works by reducing the amount of cholesterol made by the liver. In general, atorvastatin is prescribed after non-drug treatments have not been fully successful at lowering cholesterol (e.g., diet change, increase in exercise, weight loss if overweight). Lowering "bad" cholesterol and triglycerides and raising "good" cholesterol decreases the risk of heart disease and helps prevent strokes and heart attacks.

Take this medication by mouth with or without food, usually once daily or as directed by your doctor.

Dosage is based on your medical condition, response to treatment, and use of certain interacting medicines. Many of the drugs listed in the Drug Interactions section may increase the chances of muscle problems when used with atorvastatin. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while being treated with this medication unless your doctor instructs you otherwise. Grapefruit juice can increase the amount of certain medications in your bloodstream. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

If you also take certain other drugs to lower your cholesterol (bile acid-binding resins such as cholestyramine or colestipol), take atorvastatin at least 1 hour before or at least 2 hours after taking these medications.

Take this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. Remember to take it at the same time each day. It may take up to 4 weeks before you get the full benefit of this drug.

It is important to continue taking this medication even if you feel well. Most people with high cholesterol or triglycerides do not feel sick.

Diarrhea or stomach/abdominal pain may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

This drug may infrequently cause muscle problems (which can rarely lead to a very serious condition called rhabdomyolysis). Tell your doctor immediately if you develop any of these symptoms: muscle pain/tenderness/weakness (especially with fever or unusual tiredness), change in the amount of urine.

Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: yellowing eyes/skin, dark urine, severe stomach/abdominal pain, persistent nausea/vomiting.

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

In the US -

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Before taking atorvastatin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or if you had a severe reaction to other "statins" (e.g., simvastatin); or if you have any other allergies.

This medication should not be used if you have a certain medical condition. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: current liver disease.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: history of liver disease, kidney disease, alcohol use/abuse.

Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking this medication.

Limit alcoholic beverages. Daily use of alcohol may increase your risk for liver problems, especially when combined with atorvastatin. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of the drug, especially muscle problems.

This medication must not be used during pregnancy. Atorvastatin may harm an unborn baby. Therefore, it is important to prevent pregnancy while taking this medication. Consult your doctor for more details and to discuss using at least 2 reliable forms of birth control (e.g., condoms, birth control pills) while taking this medication. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor immediately.

This drug may pass into breast milk and could have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Therefore, breast-feeding is not recommended while using this drug. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor or pharmacist first.

See also How to Use section.

This drug should not be used with the following medication because very serious (possibly fatal) interactions may occur: telithromycin.

If you are currently using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting atorvastatin.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: aliskiren, hormonal birth control (e.g., pills, patch, ring), clopidogrel, daptomycin, digoxin, drugs affecting liver enzymes that remove atorvastatin from your body (such as azole antifungals including itraconazole/ketoconazole, certain macrolide antibiotics including erythromycin/clarithromycin/troleandomycin, HIV protease inhibitors including indinavir/ritonavir, amiodarone, cyclosporine, diltiazem, efavirenz, nefazodone, rifampin, St. John's wort, carbamazepine).

This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US National Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center.

Do not share this medication with others.

Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., blood cholesterol/triglyceride levels, liver function tests) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

For best results, this medication should be used along with exercise, a low-cholesterol/low-fat diet, and a weight loss program if you are overweight. To help reduce your risk of heart attacks and strokes, check your blood pressure regularly, seek medical treatment if your blood pressure is high, and stop smoking. Consult your doctor for more details.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Store at room temperature between 68-77 degrees F (20-25 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.

Information last revised October 2008 Copyright(c) 2008 First DataBank, Inc.