Cautions with other medicines
- antibiotics such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, rifampicin or fusidic acid.
- antifungals such as ketoconazole, voriconazole or fluconazole.
- some HIV medicines.
- some hepatitis C medicines.
- warfarin, a medicine to help prevent blood clots.
What foods should be avoided when taking atorvastatin?
Avoid eating foods high in fat or cholesterol, or atorvastatin will not be as effective. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can raise triglyceride levels and may increase your risk of liver damage. Grapefruit may interact with atorvastatin and lead to unwanted side effects.
What medications should not be taken with statins?
Some drugs that may interact with statins and increase your risk of side effects include: Amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), a medication for irregular heart rhythms. Gemfibrozil (Lopid), another variety of cholesterol drug. HIV treatments called protease inhibitors such as saquinavir (Invirase) and ritonavir (Norvir)
What is the most serious side effect of atorvastatin?
Serious side effects
you get unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, weakness or cramps – these can be signs of muscle breakdown and kidney damage.
Can I take vitamin D with atorvastatin?
Interactions between your drugs
No interactions were found between atorvastatin and Vitamin D3.
Can I drink coffee with atorvastatin?
Your morning coffee may make Lipitor less effective
A 2008 study on rats suggests caffeinated coffee may reduce one of the cardioprotective benefits of atorvastatin. That’s because caffeine is a nonspecific adenosine receptor blocker. Adenosine receptor activation is essential for Lipitor to work.
Does atorvastatin cause weight gain?
Overall, there isn’t enough evidence to suggest that statin drugs such as Lipitor cause weight gain. It’s important to remember that Lipitor and other statin drugs shouldn’t replace a healthy diet and exercise. In addition to taking your Lipitor as prescribed, remember to follow your doctor’s diet and exercise advice.
What can I take instead of statins to lower cholesterol?
7 cholesterol-lowering alternatives to statins
- Fibrates. Mostly used for lowering triglyceride levels in patients whose levels are very high and could cause pancreatitis.
- Plant stanols and sterols.
- Cholestyramine and other bile acid-binding resins.
- Niacin.
- Policosanol.
- Red yeast rice extract (RYRE)
- Natural products.
Do statins increase belly fat?
People who did take statins consumed more calories and fat over time, and gained more weight. The study also showed that statin users had a faster increase in body mass index (BMI) than those who didn’t use statins.
What does leg pain from statins feel like?
Not everyone who takes a statin will have muscle pain. Muscle pain from statins might also show up differently for different people. For example, you could feel muscle weakness, soreness, aches, stiffness, or cramps. These side effects can range from mild to severe.
Does atorvastatin affect sleep?
The top-selling statins are atorvastatin (Lipitor), lovastatin (Mevacor), rosuvastatin (Crestor) and simvastatin (Zocor). How they can cause insomnia: The most common side effect of all types of statins is muscle pain, which can keep people who take them awake at night and unable to rest.
Is 20 mg of atorvastatin a lot?
Adults—At first, 10 or 20 milligrams (mg) once a day. Some patients may need to start at 40 mg per day. Your doctor may increase your dose as needed. However, the dose is usually not more than 80 mg per day.
Why do statins have to be taken at night?
So, why do people take statins at night? Many statins work more effectively when they are taken at night. This is because the enzyme which makes the cholesterol is more active at night. Also, the half-life, or the amount of time it takes for half the dose to leave your body, of some statins is short.
Can I take vitamin B12 with atorvastatin?
No interactions were found between atorvastatin and Vitamin B12. However, this does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.
How do you stop leg cramps from statins?
Although there are no proven remedies for statin-related muscle pain, the following may help.
- Exercise.
- Ramp up your lifestyle changes.
- Have a thyroid blood test.
- Take supplements.
- Change your prescription.
- Image: © Christophe Bourloton/Thinkstock.
How do I stop statin fatigue?
Skimping on sleep has been found to increase calcium deposit build-up in your arteries. Getting the right amount of sleep, about 7 1/2 hours, seems to prevent this. Plus getting the right amount of sleep will always give you more energy.
Can you drink tea with atorvastatin?
Conclusion: Green tea extract decreases the absorption but not the elimination of atorvastatin, possibly by inhibiting OATP, albeit not in a dose-dependent manner. Coadministration of green tea extract with atorvastatin may necessitate the monitoring of the plasma concentration of atorvastatin in clinical practice.
Do statins cause weight loss?
Statin use is associated with increased calorie intake and consequent weight gain.
Is atorvastatin a blood thinner?
No, atorvastatin isn’t a blood thinner. It’s a statin drug that works to: help improve cholesterol problems. lower your risk for heart-related problems.
Does atorvastatin make you tired?
In a study of more than 1,000 adults, researchers at the University of California, San Diego, found that individuals taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs are more likely than non-users to experience decreased energy, fatigue upon exertion, or both.
Does atorvastatin cause hair loss?
Some statin drugs like simvastatin (Zocor) and (atorvastatin) Lipitor have been reported to cause hair loss.