page_title: Atorvastatin
section_title: Formulations
hierarchical_section_title: Atorvastatin / Society and culture / Formulations
caption_attribution_description: English: A package and pill of atorvastatin 40mg (Lipitor).
context_page_description: Atorvastatin, sold under the brand name Lipitor among others, is a statin medication used to prevent cardiovascular disease in those at high risk and treat abnormal lipid levels. For the prevention of cardiovascular disease, statins are a first-line treatment. It is taken by mouth.
  Common side effects include joint pain, diarrhea, heartburn, nausea, and muscle pains. Serious side effects may include rhabdomyolysis, liver problems, and diabetes. Use during pregnancy may harm the baby. Like all statins, atorvastatin works by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme found in the liver that plays a role in producing cholesterol.
  Atorvastatin was patented in 1986, and approved for medical use in the United States in 1996. It is available as a generic medication and is relatively inexpensive. In 2017, it was the second most prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 104 million prescriptions.
context_section_description: Atorvastatin calcium tablets are marketed by Pfizer under the trade name Lipitor for oral administration. Tablets are white, elliptical, and film-coated. Pfizer also packages the medication in combination with other medications, such as atorvastatin/amlodipine. Pfizer recommends that people do not break tablets in half to take half-doses, even when this is recommended by their doctors.
caption: Pack and tablet of atorvastatin (Lipitor) 40mg
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