The NHS has provided guidance to anyone taking a common medication due to the potential for “serious” side effects. If you are currently on atorvastatin, you need to be careful about what you take alongside it.

Atorvastatin is a type of statin, which can help lower cholesterol levels. These are typically prescribed to people who have been diagnosed with high blood cholesterol to prevent heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes.

Your GP may also prescribe atorvastatin if you have a family history of heart disease, or a long-term health condition such as type 1 or type 2 diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis. However, like with any medication, you must follow the official advice on how to safely take it.

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On its website, the NHS lists some “cautions with other medicines”. This means that you need to check you’re OK to take atorvastatin alongside other drugs and supplements.

The NHS said: “Some medicines can affect the way atorvastatin works and can increase the chances of you having serious side effects, such as muscle damage.” It explained you must therefore tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• Antibiotics such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, rifampicin or fusidic acid


• Antifungals such as ketoconazole, voriconazole or fluconazole


• Some HIV medicines


• Some hepatitis C medicines


• Warfarin, a medicine to help prevent blood clots


• Ciclosporin, a medicine for psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis


• Colchicine, a medicine for gout


• Contraceptive pills, such as the combined pill


• Verapamil, diltiazem or amlodipine, medicines for high blood pressure and heart problems


• Amiodarone, a medicine that helps if you have an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation)

If you're taking atorvastatin and need to take one of these medicines, your doctor may:

• Prescribe a lower dose of atorvastatin


• Prescribe a different statin medicine


• Recommend that you stop taking atorvastatin for a while

These are not all the medicines that can affect the way atorvastatin works. “For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicine packet or check with your pharmacist”, the NHS said.

The health service said you should also consult your doctor or a pharmacist if you take atorvastatin and you’re thinking of taking St John's wort supplements or CoQ10.

These common side effects of atorvastatin happen in more than one in 100 people:

• Feeling sick (nausea) or indigestion


• Headaches


• Nosebleeds


• Sore throat


• Cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose, blocked nose or sneezing


• Constipation or farting (flatulence)


• Diarrhoea

The NHS added: “Drinking a lot of alcohol regularly increases the chance of you having side effects with atorvastatin, and liver problems. If you think that atorvastatin is causing side effects and they're making you want to stop taking it, talk to your doctor first.

“They may be caused by another problem and not the medicine. Your doctor may suggest lowering your dose or changing your medicine.”

You should stop taking atorvastatin and call a doctor or call 111 straight away if:

• You get unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, weakness or cramps – these can be signs of muscle breakdown and kidney damage


• The whites of your eyes turn yellow, or your skin turns yellow, although this may be less obvious on brown or black skin, or if you have pale poo and dark pee – these can be signs of liver problems


• You get a skin rash with pink or red blotches, especially on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet – this could be a sign of erythema multiforme


• You have severe stomach pain – this can be a sign of acute pancreatitis


• You have a cough, feel short of breath, and are losing weight – this can be a sign of lung disease


• You have a weakness in your arms or legs that gets worse after activity, or if you get double vision, drooping eyelids, problems swallowing or shortness of breath - these can be a sign of myasthenia gravis

For more information, visit the NHS website here.