FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

LIPITOR is a prescription medicine that contains a cholesterol lowering medicine (statin) called atorvastatin. LIPITOR is used:

• to reduce the risk of:
  • heart attack, stroke, certain types of heart surgery and chest pain in adults who do not have heart disease but have other multiple risk factors for heart disease.
  • heart attack and stroke in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus who do not have heart disease but have other multiple risk factors.
  • heart attack that does not cause death, stroke, certain types of heart surgery, hospitalization for congestive heart failure, and chest pain in adults with heart disease.
• along with diet to reduce low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or bad cholesterol:
  • in adults with primary hyperlipidemia.
  • in adults and children aged 10 years and older with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH). This is an inherited condition that causes high levels of bad cholesterol.
• along with other cholesterol lowering treatments or alone if such treatments are unavailable in adults and children aged 10 years and older with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH). This is an inherited condition that causes high levels of bad cholesterol.
• along with diet for the treatment of adults with:
  • primary dysbetalipoproteinemia (an inherited condition that causes high levels of cholesterol and fat).
  • hypertriglyceridemia.

It is not known if LIPITOR is safe and effective in children younger than 10 years of age with HeFH or HoFH or in children with other types of hyperlipidemias (other than HeFH or HoFH).

LIPITOR is available by prescription only in 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, and 80 mg tablets.

LIPITOR is a prescription medicine. Only your doctor can properly determine if you need a prescription medicine along with a low-fat diet to lower your high cholesterol.

Make an appointment with your doctor and ask if LIPITOR is right for you.

Do not take LIPITOR if you:

• have liver problems (acute liver failure or decompensated cirrhosis)
• are allergic to atorvastatin or any of the ingredients in LIPITOR. Stop using LIPITOR and get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a serious allergic reaction including:
  • swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat
  • problems breathing or swallowing
  • fainting or feeling dizzy
  • very rapid heartbeat
  • severe skin rash or itching
  • flu-like symptoms, including fever, sore throat, cough, tiredness, and joint pain

Here are 3 suggested tips to help make sure you receive brand-name LIPITOR and not a generic:

1. At your doctor’s office: Ask your doctor to prescribe brand-name LIPITOR and to indicate “DAW” (Dispense As Written)—or the language used in your state—on all of your LIPITOR prescriptions, as appropriate.*
   *Language and requirements may vary based on your state's laws.
2. At your pharmacy’s drop-off: Tell the pharmacist that you want brand-name LIPITOR—and be sure to use the LIPITOR Savings Card. The LIPITOR Savings Card can only be used with brand-name LIPITOR.
3. At your pharmacy’s pick-up: Check your pills to be sure they’re brand-name LIPITOR—not the generic—and also check that you’ve saved on your prescription.

Check your pills for the distinctive shape and markings of brand-name LIPITOR.

The LIPITOR Savings Card allows eligible patients to pay as little as $4 every time they get a 30-day fill of brand-name LIPITOR—and could save up to $1,800 a year. If you have a prescription for brand-name LIPITOR, you can use the card for every fill through December 31, 2024.*

*Terms and conditions apply.

• Bring a printed copy of it to the pharmacy or
• Show it to your pharmacist on your phone

To be eligible to use a LIPITOR Savings Card, you must:

• Not be covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or any other federal or state healthcare programs

To learn the full details of who is eligible, please see the full Terms and Conditions.

To get a Savings Card, register here and then download your card or have it sent to you via mail, email, or text.

You can activate your Savings Card here.

You can use the Savings Card at any participating pharmacy.

The LIPITOR Savings Card can only be used for new prescriptions that are filled after you have activated the card.

• Take LIPITOR exactly as your doctor tells you to take it.
• Do not change your dose or stop LIPITOR without talking to your doctor.
• Your doctor may do blood tests to check your cholesterol levels during your treatment with LIPITOR. Your dose of LIPITOR may be changed based on these blood test results.
• Take LIPITOR each day at any time of day. LIPITOR can be taken with or without food.
• Your doctor may start you on a cholesterol lowering diet before giving you LIPITOR. Stay on this low-fat diet when you take LIPITOR.
• If you miss a dose of LIPITOR, take it as soon as you remember. Do not take LIPITOR if it has been more than 12 hours since you missed your last dose. Wait and take the next dose at your regular time. Do not take 2 doses of LIPITOR at the same time. If you take too much LIPITOR or overdose, call your doctor or Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 or go to the nearest emergency room right away.

• Avoid drinking more than 1.2 liters of grapefruit juice each day.

Try to take your medicine at the same time every day. Try connecting your medicine with something you do every day, such as brushing your teeth or eating breakfast. This may help you remember to take it.

Keep a daily calendar and add taking your medicine to your daily to-do list. Check it off once you have taken it. Or set an alarm clock to go off at the time you need to take your medicine.

You can also use a pill box with the days of the week on it.

You may also use a calendar to remind yourself to get refills before you run out of medicine.

LIPITOR is used:

• along with diet to reduce low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) or bad cholesterol in adults and children aged 10 years and older with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH). This is an inherited condition that causes high levels of bad cholesterol.
• along with other cholesterol lowering treatments or alone if such treatments are unavailable in adults and children aged 10 years and older with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH). This is an inherited condition that causes high levels of bad cholesterol.

It is not known if LIPITOR is safe and effective in children younger than 10 years of age with HeFH or HoFH or in children with other types of hyperlipidemias (other than HeFH or HoFH).

• Store LIPITOR at room temperature, 68 to 77°F (20 to 25°C).
• Do not keep medicine that is out of date or that you no longer need.
• Keep LIPITOR and all medicines out of the reach of children. Be sure that if you throw medicine away, it is out of the reach of children.

LIPITOR may cause serious side effects including:

• Muscle pain, tenderness and weakness (myopathy). Muscle problems, including muscle breakdown, can be serious in some people and, rarely, cause kidney damage that can lead to death.
  Tell your doctor right away if you have:
  • unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially if you also have a fever or feel more tired than usual while you take LIPITOR.
  • muscle problems that do not go away after your doctor has told you to stop taking LIPITOR. Your doctor may do further tests to diagnose the cause of your muscle problems.
  Your chances of getting muscle problems are higher if you:
  • are taking certain other medicines while you take LIPITOR
  • drink large amounts of grapefruit juice
  • are 65 years of age or older
  • have thyroid problems (hypothyroidism) that are not controlled
  • have kidney problems
  • are taking higher doses of LIPITOR
• Liver problems. Your doctor should do blood tests to check your liver before you start taking LIPITOR and if you have symptoms of liver problems while you take LIPITOR. Call your doctor right away if you have the following symptoms of liver problems:
  • feel tired or weak
  • nausea or vomiting
  • loss of appetite
  • upper belly pain
  • dark amber colored urine
  • yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes
• Increase in blood sugar level. Your blood sugar level may increase while you are taking LIPITOR. Exercise regularly and make healthy food choices to maintain healthy body weight.

The most common side effects of LIPITOR include:

• nasal congestion, sore throat, runny nose
• diarrhea
• urinary tract infection
• nausea
• muscle spasms
• throat pain
• muscle and joint pain
• pain in extremity
• upset stomach
• musculoskeletal pain
• trouble sleeping

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you have side effects that bother you or that will not go away. These are not all the side effects of LIPITOR. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

• Too much cholesterol in the blood, or high cholesterol, can be serious in certain individuals. People with high cholesterol and certain risk factors may be at risk for getting heart disease. This can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
• Most cholesterol is made by your body and a smaller amount comes from diet. However, some people may be more affected by dietary cholesterol than others. Age and family history can increase risk.
• People with high cholesterol usually have no symptoms. You need a blood test to determine if you have high cholesterol.

• Total cholesterol
• LDL (“bad”) cholesterol
• HDL (“good”) cholesterol
• Triglycerides (another type of fat in the blood)

Experts recommend that adults aged 20 to 79 years who are free from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) should have their cholesterol and other traditional risk factors checked every four to six years. Then they can work with their healthcare providers to determine their risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke.

People who are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease or have cardiovascular disease may need to have their cholesterol and risk factors assessed more often.

Diabetes is a risk factor for coronary artery disease. If you have diabetes, you should work with your doctor to help control your diabetes as well as any other risk factors you may have for coronary artery disease.