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Lipitor belong to a group of drugs called statins. Statins slow down your body's production of cholesterol. Atorvastatin - Lipitor is a cholesterol-lowering drug that blocks the production of LDL - low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in the body. Lower cholesterol can help prevent heart disease and hardening of the arteries. These conditions can lead to heart attack, stroke and vascular disease. Lipitor is also used for lowering the risk of heart attack, stroke or other heart complications in people with coronary heart disease or type 2 diabetes.
Lipitor during pregnancy
Lipitor is classified in a pregnancy category X, which means it could potentially cause harm to unborn child. Pregnant women should not take Lipitor and if you are pregnant or planing to become pregnant, talk to your doctor. Pregnancy Category X refers to drugs that cause problems to the fetus in animal studies or in humans who have taken Lipitor mistakenly while pregnant. That is why use of drugs in category X during pregnancy is not recommended.
Lipitor is contraindicated in pregnant women or women who may become pregnant. Serum cholesterol and triglycerides increase during normal pregnancy. This cholesterol and cholesterol derivatives are needed for normal fetal development. Lipid lowering medicines offer no benefit during pregnancy. Atherosclerosis is a chronic process and discontinuation of lipid-lowering drugs, like Lipitor during pregnancy should have little impact on long-term outcomes of primary hypercholesterolemia therapy.
Occasional reports of problems, such as miscarriages or birth defects were noted, possibly due to the use of statins in pregnant humans, but it does not appear that statins actually increased the risks of such problems. A certain number of miscarriages and birth defects will occur during pregnancies anyway, even if no medications are taken.
Statins may cause fetal harm when taken by a pregnant woman. Lipitor should be taken by women of childbearing potential only when such women are highly unlikely to conceive and have been informed of the potential risks. If the woman becomes pregnant while taking Lipitor, it should be discontinued immediately and the patient should be advised for the lack of known clinical benefit with continued use during pregnancy.
Lipitor and nursing mothers
It is not known whether atorvastati excrets into human milk. If another medicine from this class is taken along Lipitor when breast-feeding, some of them may pass into human milk and because statins have a potential to cause serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, women requiring Lipitor treatment should be advised not to nurse their infants.
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