So what is Lipitor ® / Atorvastatin?

Lipitor is a drug prescribed to lower a persons cholesterol while Atorvastatin Calcium is the generic version of the drug Lipitor. Your doctor may prescribe Lipitor along with a diet change that would result in a reduction of cholesterol and fat intake if your cholesterol or triglyceride level is high enough that it could place you in danger of heart disease, and or you have been unable to lower your readings by diet alone.

Lipitor and Atorvastatin work by helping to clear harmful low density lipoprotein cholesterol out of the blood and by limiting the body's ability to form new LDL cholesterol. Accumulation of cholesterol and fats along the walls of your arteries decreases blood flow and, therefore, the oxygen supply to your heart, brain, and other parts of your body. If your cholesterol level reaches an unacceptable level many doctors may prescribe Lipitor along with a low cholesterol diet to help prevent heart disease, angina (chest pain), strokes, and heart attacks by lowering your blood level of cholesterol and fats.

You should continue to follow your doctors dietary instructions even if you are feeling better as it can take up to two full weeks before the real benefits of Lipitor or Atorvastatin take their full effect. As always we suggest you seek medical advice from your doctor before purchasing prescription drugs of any kind. If your doctor does prescribe Lipitor for you then you may want to ask if taking Atorvastatin is also an option as it is the generic version of Lipitor yet costs far less. You can see the price differences between Lipitor and Atorvastatin by going to the prescription drugs link in the left hand column of this page.

Potential side affects from taking Lipitor or Atorvastatin

Although side effects from Lipitor are not very common, they can occur. Be sure to tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• dizziness
• upset stomach 
• diarrhea
• gas
• headache
• blurred vision
• heartburn
• rash or itching