Other indications are listed in the chart below. Crestor and Lipitor have not been studied in the treatment of Fredrickson Type I and V dyslipidemias. They looked at the effects of Lipitor, Crestor, Zocor , and Pravachol on lowering LDL low-density lipoprotein cholesterol after six weeks.
The study concluded that Crestor lowered LDL cholesterol by 8. Crestor also increased HDL cholesterol the good kind of cholesterol more than Lipitor did. All statins were similarly tolerated. Coronary atherosclerosis is a narrowing of blood vessels and buildup of calcium and fatty deposits in the arteries, making it harder for blood to get to the heart, and increasing the risk of coronary heart disease.
The study also looked at safety and side effects. Although, it may be worth noting that AstraZeneca, manufacturer of Crestor, funded this study. Also, these drugs were given at the highest doses, which is not as common in a clinical setting for the average patient. Both Crestor and Lipitor induced regression of atherosclerosis to a similar extent. Both drugs were well tolerated and had a low incidence of lab abnormalities. In a clinical setting, both drugs are widely prescribed and well-tolerated.
The most effective medication for you can be determined by your healthcare provider, who can consider your medical conditions, history, and medications you take that could interact with Crestor or Lipitor. Crestor or Lipitor are covered by most insurance and Medicare prescription plans in their generic forms of rosuvastatin or atorvastatin. Choosing the brand-name product will likely result in a higher copay or may not be covered.
Get the SingleCare prescription discount card. The most common side effects of Crestor are headache , muscle pain, abdominal pain, nausea, and weakness. A rare but serious side effect of Crestor and Lipitor is myopathy muscle weakness and rhabdomyolysis the breakdown of muscle tissue, which can be very damaging. See the warnings section for more information. The occurrence of side effects may vary with dosage. They may choose to replace Lipitor with another cholesterol lowering drug.
Doctors will perform liver function tests before prescribing Lipitor, as it can affect the results of these tests. After taking the drug for at least 6 weeks, doctors will recheck the liver to make sure that the drug has not caused any significant changes to the liver function.
If the person has elevated test results, the doctor will check their blood at more frequent intervals until the measures normalize. Sometimes, the doctor may need to lower the dosage of Lipitor or stop this treatment altogether. Research has linked Lipitor to a serious muscle condition called rhabdomyolysis , which can cause kidney failure.
If this occurs, doctors will stop the drug and provide the individual with plenty of fluids to prevent kidney failure. People who have kidney disease or take certain other medications alongside Lipitor may be more at risk of developing rhabdomyolysis.
Doctors diagnose rhabdomyolysis by checking the blood levels of creatine phosphokinase. Most experts agree that a number five times the normal limit can confirm a diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis.
Statins and other cholesterol lowering medications can affect the function of the liver. At higher dosages, the risk of liver function test abnormalities increases. In rare cases, people have experienced fatal and nonfatal liver failure as a result of taking statins. Women who are pregnant, wish to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding should not take Lipitor.
There is not enough evidence to confirm that Lipitor is safe or effective during pregnancy or breastfeeding. If a woman becomes pregnant while taking Lipitor, the doctor will stop the medication and replace it with another cholesterol lowering medication.
Doctors will not usually prescribe Lipitor to anyone with active liver disease, but in some situations, the benefits of taking Lipitor may outweigh the risks. People with chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis or nonalcoholic liver disease, may still take Lipitor. Lipitor can interact with some other drugs to increase the risk of rhabdomyolysis. Birth control pills and grapefruit juice can also affect how Lipitor works.
The pain can be a mild discomfort, or it can be severe enough to make your daily activities difficult. However, researchers have found a "nocebo" effect when it comes to perceived muscle pain and statins. A "nocebo" effect means people who have negative expectations about a medication report experiencing the potential side effect at higher rates than the drug should cause.
The actual risk of developing muscle pain as a result of taking statins is about 5 percent or less compared with taking a pill that doesn't contain medication placebo. However, studies have found that nearly 30 percent of people stopped taking the pills because of muscle aches even when they were taking a placebo.
A strong predictor you'll experience muscle aches when taking statins could be whether or not you read about the potential side effect. Very rarely, statins can cause life-threatening muscle damage called rhabdomyolysis rab-doe-my-OL-ih-sis. Rhabdomyolysis can cause severe muscle pain, liver damage, kidney failure and death. The risk of very serious side effects is extremely low, and calculated in a few cases per million people taking statins. Rhabdomyolysis can occur when you take statins in combination with certain drugs or if you take a high dose of statins.
Occasionally, statin use could cause an increase in the level of enzymes that signal liver inflammation. If the increase is only mild, you can continue to take the drug. Rarely, if the increase is severe, you may need to try a different statin. Although liver problems are rare, your doctor may order a liver enzyme test before or shortly after you begin to take a statin. You wouldn't need any additional liver enzyme tests unless you begin to have signs or symptoms of trouble with your liver.
Contact your doctor immediately if you have unusual fatigue or weakness, loss of appetite, pain in your upper abdomen, dark-colored urine, or yellowing of your skin or eyes. It's possible your blood sugar blood glucose level may increase when you take a statin, which may lead to developing type 2 diabetes.
The risk is small but important enough that the Food and Drug Administration FDA has issued a warning on statin labels regarding blood glucose levels and diabetes.
The increase generally occurs when blood sugar levels are already higher than normal and fall in the prediabetes or diabetes range when you begin taking a statin. Statins prevent heart attacks in people with diabetes, so the relevance of the mild increase in sugar values with statins observed in some people is unclear. The benefit of taking statins likely outweighs the small risk to have the blood sugar level go up.
Talk to your doctor if you have concerns. The FDA warns on statin labels that some people have developed memory loss or confusion while taking statins. These side effects reverse once you stop taking the medication.
There is limited evidence to prove a cause-effect relationship, but talk to your doctor if you experience memory loss or confusion while taking statins. There has also been evidence that statins may help with brain function — in people with dementia, for example. This is still being studied. Don't stop taking your statin medication before talking to your doctor. Not everyone who takes a statin will have side effects, but some people may be at a greater risk than are others.
Risk factors include:. Grapefruit juice contains a chemical that can interfere with the enzymes that break down metabolize the statins in your digestive system. While you won't need to eliminate grapefruit entirely from your diet, ask your doctor about how much grapefruit you can have.
There are many drugs that may interact with statins, so be sure your doctor is aware of all the medicines you take when being prescribed with statins. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. Atorvastatin may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture not in the bathroom. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program.
It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily.
To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor may order certain lab tests during your treatment , especially if you develop symptoms of liver damage.
Before having any laboratory test, tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are taking atorvastatin. Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription. It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription over-the-counter medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements.
You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies. Atorvastatin pronounced as a tore' va sta tin.
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