Like all medications, there may be side effects (Image: Getty)
The NHS has urged people who are breastfeeding, pregnant, or trying for a baby to speak to their doctor if taking atorvastatin. This is because it advises that if you’re taking certain medications, you may need to take extra precautions.
On its website, the NHS explains that atorvastatin is a cholesterol-lowering medicine known as a statin, which is also used to help prevent heart attacks and strokes. It is only available on prescription, and you may be offered it if you have diabetes, kidney disease or familial hypercholesterolaemia – a condition that can cause high cholesterol.
In its advice to women, the NHS says you may be able to take atorvastatin while breastfeeding, but you should check with a doctor or pharmacist first. It adds that side effects in breastfed babies are rare, but advises speaking to a healthcare professional if you’re worried about your baby.
The NHS also says you should tell your doctor if you’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant, because atorvastatin is not recommended during pregnancy as it may affect your baby’s development. If you’re planning a pregnancy, it advises stopping atorvastatin three months before you start trying to conceive.
What are the side effects of atorvastatin?
Like all medicines, atorvastatin can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them. The NHS advises people to keep taking the medicine unless your doctor tells you to stop. If you stop taking it, your cholesterol levels may go up again.
The health service also urges people to take side effects seriously and seek advice if anything concerns them. It says atorvastatin usually comes as tablets or a liquid (oral suspension) that you swallow, and the dose you need will depend on why you’re taking it.
Common side effects
Common side effects of atorvastatin include:
- muscle aches and swollen joints
- digestive problems, such as constipation, diarrhoea, indigestion or farting
- sleep problems
- feeling sick (nausea)
- blocked or runny nose, or nosebleeds
- headache
- dizziness
Atorvastatin does not usually affect your ability to drive, cycle or operate machinery. However, the NHS says that if you feel dizzy after taking it, you should wait until the dizziness has passed before doing so.
It also advises speaking to a pharmacist or doctor if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away. The health service says it may be able to suggest ways to reduce side effects – and that you should keep taking your medicine unless you’re advised to stop.
Serious side effects
Atorvastatin can sometimes cause serious side effects, although most of them are rare. Possible serious side effects of atorvastatin include:
- inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), which can cause severe stomach pain
- an allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), which can cause symptoms such as a swollen throat or tongue, a raised, itchy rash or difficulty breathing
- inflammation and damage to the muscles, which can cause muscle cramps, severe pain and weakness – you may also have other symptoms such as a high temperature and red or brown pee
- inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), which can cause yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes – yellowed skin may be less noticeable if you have brown or black skin
Call NHS 111
The NHS urges people to call 111 if “you’re taking atorvastatin and think you might be having serious side effects.”
Who can and cannot take atorvastatin?
Most adults can take atorvastatin, but it’s not suitable for everyone. The NHS advises telling your doctor about any medical conditions before you start taking it, as it may not be appropriate in some cases — for example, if you:
- you or a close family member have a condition that affects the muscles, such as myasthenia gravis
- you’ve had a bleed in the brain
- you have liver or kidney problems, or an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
- you regularly drink a lot of alcohol
- you’ve had an allergic reaction or other serious side effects from atorvastatin or another statin
You can read more information on atorvastatin here.
