Lipitor is a brand name for atorvastatin, a cholesterol-lowering medical preparation designed to block the production of cholesterol in the body. It is especially good for reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol levels in the blood. This helps to prevent heart disease and hardening of the arteries, which are the illnesses that most often lead to such life-threatening conditions as a heart stroke, a heart attack, vascular disease etc. Lipitor is often prescribed when it is crucial to reduce high cholesterol levels in a certain amount of time. Patients with coronary heart disease or type 2 diabetes often take it to lower the risk of heart complications, for example, a stroke.
Lipitor belongs to FDA pregnancy category X, meaning it has been shown to cause significant birth defects. If you are pregnant, firmly refuse taking Lipitor and inform your doctor immediately if you conceive during the medication course and are planning to keep the child. If you are breast-feeding, you should also let your doctor know beforehand. It is not exactly known whether atorvastatin can pass into breast milk and, even if it is so, whether it can cause harm to a newborn. Your healthcare provider will make an individual decision for your case. Remember also that Lipitor should not be given to children whose age is less than ten years old.
