If your doctor prescribes both drugs, they’ll likely monitor you closely for side effects, especially muscle-related side effects, such as muscle pain. Atorvastatin, sold under the brand name Lipitor among others, is a statin medication used to prevent eco sober house ma cardiovascular disease in those at high risk and to treat abnormal lipid levels. For the prevention of cardiovascular disease, statins are a first-line treatment. Depending on your readiness for change, they can recommend the right treatment program.

  • It does not endorse any particular treatment provider and does not guarantee the quality of treatment services of featured providers.
  • Treatment programs can range from weekly outpatient visits to intensive inpatient rehab.
  • The men were randomly assigned to take low- or high-dose lovastatin (Mevacor — the first statin drug).
  • Despite this, you should still check with your doctor or pharmacist before receiving any vaccines while taking Lipitor.
  • Current recommendations are that liver function tests be completed before beginning statin therapy and only repeated if there is a clinical reason to do so.

Before you take Lipitor, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Lipitor may not be the right treatment option for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health. Common side effects include joint pain, diarrhea, heartburn, nausea, and muscle pains.

Does Zetia interact with Lipitor?

Drinking a small amount can help people feel relaxed, but too much, too often, can be harmful for health. Statin therapy exacerbates alcohol-induced constriction of cerebral arteries via modulation of ethanol-induced BK channel inhibition in vascular smooth muscle . People taking statins may still be able to consume some alcohol, but not more than 14 units per week. Latest news in the world of drugs, supplements & trending health. These side effects may differ depending on the individual, as well as vary based on the amount of alcohol one consumes while taking this drug.

It can also help lower certain fats in the blood called triglycerides. Lowering cholesterol may help reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and other complications and adverse events. These side effects can increase the risk of injury, health problems or death.

If you’re taking Lipitor, it can be easy to find yourself in a situation in which you might be offered a drink. As long as you don’t have liver problems, you should be able to have an occasional drink or two while taking statins. If you are unable to drink moderately, you would be better off not drinking while taking statins. If you have any family members or friends who have expressed concern over your drinking, it’s important to take an honest look at your consumption.

If you have had an allergic reaction to Lipitor or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Lipitor. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you. Intentional mixing of alcohol and Lipitor is extremely rare and not supported by research. However, if you are intentionally mixing any substances with the plan of harming yourself, contact the Suicide Hotline or 911. Alcohol may change the effects of the ingredients in statins. A safe ingredient may now be unsafe when combined with alcohol.

All of that said, excess alcohol could pose a problem for people when combined with Lipitor. Increased liver function tests are not the only possible side effect. In addition, those who have liver disease due to chronic hepatitis C infections may respond better to medications when they are given statins. Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research.

Due to the increased risk of side effects from Lipitor, doctors typically will not prescribe cyclosporine and Lipitor together. You can talk with your doctor about safer treatment alternatives. Overdose on atorvastatin and alcohol is alarmingly common and can often be fatal. In the case of Overdose on atorvastatin or if you are worried after mixing atorvastatin and alcohol eco sober house review call a first responder or proceed to the nearest Emergency Room immediately. To avoid any residual toxicity it is advisable to wait until the atorvastatin has totally cleared your system before drinking alcohol, even in small quantities. By some estimates, about 9% of people who take statins are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes after taking them for 4 years.

lipitor and alcohol

The liver is the organ that filters toxins from the blood, and without it, toxic wastes would build up in the blood, leading to a slow death.Long-term or heavy alcohol usedamages this vital organ. Lipitor and other statins may reduce your risk of heart disease, but alcohol, through causes such as alcoholic cardiomyopathy and much more, may worsen your risk. Of course, alcohol has plenty of calories, something that also increases the risk of heart disease. When talking about the effect of alcohol on liver disease related to statins, it’s important to note that severe liver injury is not usually due to the cumulative effect of the injury. Statins are crucial for people at risk of heart disease because they can help lower the level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the blood.

Preventing interactions

If you take St. John’s Wort, be sure to tell your doctor before you begin taking Lipitor. Or they may suggest you stop taking St. John’s Wort or try a drug other than Lipitor. Before you start treatment with Lipitor, tell your doctor and pharmacist which supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions.

Alcohol might interact with some of your prescription medicines. Nonetheless, it would be best to discuss the benefits and risks of taking statins with https://soberhome.net/ your doctor before you start taking the medicine. Statins are a medical treatment for high cholesterol, while fish oil is a dietary supplement.

lipitor and alcohol

We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. Calls to numbers on a specific treatment center listing will be routed to that treatment center. Calls to any general helpline (non-facility specific 1-8XX numbers) could be forwarded to SAMSHA or a verified treatment provider. Calls are routed based on availability and geographic location. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.

Musculoskeletal side effects

There have not been clinical trials showing whether statins are safe to take during pregnancy. There have been rare reports of hospitalizations and fatalities due to liver problems from statin drugs. When alcohol is combined with atorvastatin this primary effect is exaggerated, increasing the strain on the body with unpredictable results. If you think you are experiencing an overdose or interaction from mixing Lipitor and alcohol, call 911 immediately.

Reduced effects mean your good and bad cholesterol levels are out of balance despite taking medication, putting you at risk for heart attack or stroke. Statins are drugs that can reduce levels of cholesterol in the blood. Learn about the types, their uses, and the risks of taking statins here. The FDA states that active liver disease is one contraindication of atorvastatin. For this reason, it is critical to talk with your doctor about your alcohol consumption before taking this drug. It is intended for general informational purposes and is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

For more information about taking Zetia with Lipitor, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. If you have additional questions about Viagra and Lipitor, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Due to this risk, you should avoid consuming large quantities of grapefruit and grapefruit juice during Lipitor treatment. Lipitor may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. Here’s a closer look at certain drug interactions of Lipitor.

atorvastatin and Alcohol

The combination of alcohol and atorvastatin increases the likelihood that a person would be transferred to intensive care. If you are worried about someone who has taken too much atorvastatin or mixed alcohol with atorvastatin then call a first responder or take them to get immediate medical help. The best place for you or someone you care about in the case of a medical emergency is under medical supervision. Be sure to tell the medical team that there is a mix of atorvastatin and alcohol. The use of significantly more atorvastatin with alcohol will lead to sedation and lethargy, as well as the synergistic effects resulting from a mixture of the two medications.

Lipitor and lab tests

Headaches should usually go away after the first week of taking atorvastatin. Talk to your doctor if they last longer than a week or are severe. If you continue to get symptoms of indigestion, ask your pharmacist to recommend an antacid. Contact your doctor if your symptoms continue for more than a few days or if they get worse.

Common side effects

Due to the risk of severe muscle side effects, doctors typically will not prescribe gemfibrozil in combination with Lipitor. This interaction can raise your risk of myopathy, which refers to certain muscle side effects, including muscle pain. Gemfibrozil is a drug prescribed for certain types of high cholesterol or heart disease. It can interact with Lipitor if these drugs are used together.

If you drink at all, take a moment and try a quiz to see if you may have an alcohol use problem. In rare cases, it’s possible to have a serious allergic reaction to atorvastatin. Drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash, to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee. Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.

It’s actually common for people to be prescribed both aspirin and Lipitor. Aspirin is often used in certain adults who have heart disease. And Lipitor is approved to decrease the risk of cardiovascular problems in some people with heart disease. Viagra is used to treat erectile dysfunction , which is a common condition in people with heart disease. After you take a dose of Lipitor, your body uses a certain enzyme to break down the drug. An increased level of the drug can make side effects from Lipitor more likely to occur.

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