Lipitor Side Effects
Lipitor is one of a group of drugs which belongs to the class known as the "statins". Lipitor side effects are somewhat similar to those of the other statins which can be both a good and a bad thing. Good in the sense that you pretty much know what to expect in general, especially when it comes to certain key Lipitor side effects that are also general statin side effects. However, this could be also be a bad thing because if you experience certain side effects with one particular statin you may also experience the same side effects from Lipitor. Let's focus on the positives though. If you have certain risk factors for heart disease such as high blood pressure, low levels of the good cholesterol (HDL), if you smoke or if heart disease runs in your family, then Lipitor can lower your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke. Another good thing about this medication is that it starts working in about two weeks once you begin treatment. Of course not everyone can use Lipitor so you'll have to check with your own personal healthcare provider to see if you are an appropriate candidate for the medication. If you experience any of the following Lipitor side effects it is always best to let your healthcare provider know if they become bothersome or start to interfere with your quality of life.
Lipitor Side Effects - Commonly Occuring
- Abdominal pain
- Accidental Injury
- Albuminuria - presence of albumin in the urine
- Allergic Reaction
- Arthralgia - joint pain
- Arthritis
- Asthenia - abnormal weakness and drowsiness along with a loss of strength and energy
- Back Pain
- Bronchitis
- Chest pain
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Dyspepsia - indigestion
- Flatulence - gas
- Flu Syndrome
- Headache
- Hematuria - blood in the urine
- Infection
- Insomnia
- Myalgia - muscle pain
- Nausea
- Peripheral edema - swelling in the arms and legs
- Pharyngitis - sore throat
- Rash
- Rhinitis - runny nose
- Sinusitis
- Urinary tract infection
Lipitor Side Effects - Less Commonly-Occuring
- Abnormal dreams
- Abnormal ejaculation
- Abnormal liver function tests
- Acne
- Alopecia
- Amblyopia - lazy eye
- Amnesia
- Anemia
- Angina pectoris - a type of heart disorder typically characterized by severe chest pain
- Anorexia - loss of appetite
- Arrhythmia - abnormal heart rhythm
- Asthma
- Biliary pain
- Breast enlargement
- Bursitis - inflammation of the bursae
- Cheilitis - chapped lips; inflammation and cracking of the lips
- Cholestatic jaundice
- Colitis
- Contact dermatitis
- Creatine phosphokinase level increased - creatine phosphokinase is a type of enzyme produced by the liver
- Cystitis - bladder infection
- Deafness
- Decreased libido
- Depression
- Dry eyes
- Dry mouth
- Dry skin
- Duodenal ulcer
- Dysphagia - difficulty swallowing
- Dyspnea - difficulty breathing
- Dysuria - painful urination
- Ecchymosis - the black-blue or purple discoloration of the skin caused by a bruise
- Eczema
- Emotional lability
- Enteritis a type of intestinal tract infection
- Epididymitis - inflammation of the epididymis
- Epistaxis - nosebleeds
- Eructation - belching/burping
- Esophagitis - inflammation of the esophagus
- Eye hemorrhage - bleeding in the eye
- Face edema - swelling of the face
- Facial paralysis
- Fever
- Fibrocystic breast disease
- Gastritis - inflammation of the lining of the stomach
- Gastroenteritis - inflammation of the stomach and intestines
- Generalized edema - swelling all over the body due to fluid retention
- Glaucoma
- Glossitis - inflammation of the tongue
- Gout
- Gum hemorrhage - bleeding gums
- Hepatitis
- Hyperglycemia - high blood sugar level
- Hyperkinesia - an abnormal increase in muscle movement
- Hypertension - high blood pressure
- Hypertonia - an increase in muscle tone/tension which leads to muscle stiffness
- Hypesthesia - numbness/decreased sensitivity
- Hypoglycemia - low blood sugar
- Impotence
- Incoordination
- Increased appetite
- Kidney calculus - kidney stones
- Leg cramps
- Loss of taste
- Lymphadenopathy - swollen lymph glands
- Malaise - a general feeling of discomfort or "not being well"
- Melena - dark, tarry stools which is due to the bleeidng in the GI tract
- Metrorrhagia - spotting or vaginal bleeding in-between regualr menstrual periods
- Migraine
- Mouth ulceration
- Myasthenia - abnormal muscle weakness
- Myositis - inflammation of the muscles/muscle tissue
- Neck rigidity
- Nephritis - inflammation of the kidneys
- Nocturia - excessive urination at night
- Palpitations
- Pancreatitis
- Paresthesia - numbness or tingling feeling; "pins and needles" sensation
- Parosmia - an altered sense of smell
- Peripheral neuropathy damage of the nerves in the arms/fingers and legs/toes
- Petechia - small spots of blood under the skin
- Phlebitis - inflammation of a vein
- Photosensitivity reaction
- Pneumonia
- Postural hypotension - decrease in blood pressure, especially upon standing up, which my lead to light-headedness
- Pruritus - itching
- Rectal hemorrhage - bleeding in the rectum
- Refraction disorder
- Seborrhea - overactive oil glands which leadds to excessive oil secretion from skin and scalp
- Skin ulcer
- Somnolence - drowsiness
- Stomach ulcer
- Stomatitis - inflammation of the mucous membranes in the mouth
- Sweating
- Syncope - fainting
- Taste perversion
- Tendinous contracture
- Tenesmus - painful straining while trying to have a bowel movement
- Tenosynovitis - inflammation of the tendon and tendon sheath
- Thrombocytopenia - low platelet count
- Tinnitus - ringing in the ears
- Torticollis - involuntary twisting of the neck to one side
- Ulcerative stomatitis - a type of canker sore in the mouth
- Urinary frequency
- Urinary incontinence
- Urinary retention
- Urinary urgency
- Urticaria - hives
- Uterine hemorrhage - uterine bleeding
- Vaginal hemorrhage - vaginal bleeding
- Vasodilatation - widening of the blood vessels
- Vomiting
- Weight gain
Post-Marketing Lipitor Side Effects
The following Lipitor side effects were reported AFTER Lipitor was approved and being used by the general population. You should note though that they were reported voluntarily by folks in the general population so there is therefore no way to determine how often they occur or if there is even really a true connection between them and Lipitor.
What some call health, if purchased by perpetual anxiety about diet,
isn't much better than tedious disease.
- George Dennison Prentice
Drug Manufacturer Information
Parke-Davis Division of Pfizer Inc.,
235 East 42nd Street
New York, NY 10017
212-733-2323
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References:- U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation & Research - www.fda.gov
- U.S. National Library of Medicine - http://medlineplus.gov
- Journal of Clinical Hypertension, 2005;V7, No12:748-750
October 24, 2009
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