A Life-Saving Note on a Popular Drug

Just a health note as I'm hearing some busy doctors and pharmacists are not advising patients NOT to drink or eat grapefruit while taking Pfizer's popular statin, Lipitor or its new generic. Nine-million world-wide and 3-million in the United States are takers of Pfizer's most financially successful drug ever.  True the warnings in fine print are packed in the box, but not everybody reads or can understand medical instructions.   Grapefruit, proven in many studies, including an extensive one at the University of Rochester's Strong Memorial Hospital, showed grapefruit increases medication in the blood stream causing dangerous muscle disorder and/or liver damage.  Grapefruit inhibits CYP3A4, an enzyme in small intestines, breaking down dozens of medications including the drug in Lipitor, Atorvastatin.  One doctor overheard a pharmacist tell a patient, "Oh, you'll be all right if you have your grapefruit in the morning and water in the evening."  Nice but not right--NOT right to take grapefruit while prescribed Lipitor, regardless of the hour.  There is no equivocation in any of the studies I've looked at.   Just don't take grapefruit in any form if you are on Lipitor or several other lessor-sold statins.  

 

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