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8 Interactions found for:

Norvasc and Lipitor
Interactions Summary
  • 4 Major
  • 3 Moderate
  • 1 Minor
  • Norvasc
  • Lipitor

Drug Interactions

Moderate
Norvasc + Lipitor

The following applies to the ingredients: Amlodipine (found in Norvasc) and Atorvastatin (found in Lipitor)

AmLODIPine may increase the blood levels of atorvastatin. This can increase the risk of side effects such as liver damage and a rare but serious condition called rhabdomyolysis that involves the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue. In some cases, rhabdomyolysis can cause kidney damage and even death. You may need a dose adjustment or more frequent monitoring by your doctor to safely use both medications. Let your doctor know immediately if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness while taking these medications, especially if these symptoms are accompanied by fever or dark colored urine. You should also seek immediate medical attention if you develop fever, chills, joint pain or swelling, unusual bleeding or bruising, skin rash, itching, loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, dark colored urine, and/or yellowing of the skin or eyes, as these may be signs and symptoms of liver damage. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

Drug and Food Interactions

Moderate
Lipitor + Food

The following applies to the ingredients: Atorvastatin (found in Lipitor)

Grapefruit juice can increase the blood levels of atorvastatin. This can increase the risk of side effects such as liver damage and a rare but serious condition called rhabdomyolysis that involves the breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue. In some cases, rhabdomyolysis can cause kidney damage and even death. You should limit your consumption of grapefruit juice to no more than 1 quart per day during treatment with atorvastatin. Let your doctor know immediately if you have unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness during treatment, especially if these symptoms are accompanied by fever or dark colored urine. You should also seek immediate medical attention if you develop fever, chills, joint pain or swelling, unusual bleeding or bruising, skin rash, itching, loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, dark colored urine, and/or yellowing of the skin or eyes, as these may be signs and symptoms of liver damage. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

Moderate
Norvasc + Food

The following applies to the ingredients: Amlodipine (found in Norvasc)

AmLODIPine and ethanol may have additive effects in lowering your blood pressure. You may experience headache, dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, and/or changes in pulse or heart rate. These side effects are most likely to be seen at the beginning of treatment, following a dose increase, or when treatment is restarted after an interruption. Let your doctor know if you develop these symptoms and they do not go away after a few days or they become troublesome. Avoid driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you, and use caution when getting up from a sitting or lying position. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

The following applies to the ingredients: Amlodipine (found in Norvasc)

Using amLODIPine together with multivitamin with minerals can decrease the effects of amLODIPine. Talk with your doctor before using amLODIPine and multivitamin with minerals together. You may need a dose adjustment or need your blood pressure checked more often if you take both medications. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

Minor
Norvasc + Food

The following applies to the ingredients: Amlodipine (found in Norvasc)

Professional Content

The consumption of grapefruit juice may slightly increase plasma concentrations of amlodipine. The mechanism is inhibition of CYP450 3A4-mediated first-pass metabolism in the gut wall by certain compounds present in grapefruits. Data have been conflicting and the clinical significance is unknown. Monitoring for calcium channel blocker adverse effects (e.g., headache, hypotension, syncope, tachycardia, edema) is recommended.

References

  1. Bailey DG, Arnold JMO, Spence JD "Grapefruit juice and drugs - how significant is the interaction." Clin Pharmacokinet 26 (1994): 91-8
  2. Josefsson M, Zackrisson AL, Ahlner J "Effect of grapefruit juice on the pharmacokinetics of amlodipine in healthy volunteers." Eur J Clin Pharmacol 51 (1996): 189-93
  3. Bailey DG, Malcolm J, Arnold O, Spence JD "Grapefruit juice-drug interactions." Br J Clin Pharmacol 46 (1998): 101-10
  4. Vincent J, Harris SI, Foulds G, Dogolo LC, Willavize S, Friedman HL "Lack of effect of grapefruit juice on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of amlodipine." Br J Clin Pharmacol 50 (2000): 455-63
  5. Josefsson M, Ahlner J "Amlodipine and grapefruit juice." Br J Clin Pharmacol 53 (2002): 405; discussion 406
  6. Kane GC, Lipsky JJ "Drug-grapefruit juice interactions." Mayo Clin Proc 75 (2000): 933-42

Drug and Pregnancy Interactions

The following applies to the ingredients: Amlodipine (found in Norvasc)

Professional Content

This drug should be used during pregnancy only if the benefit outweighs the risk to the fetus (AU, US)
Use is contraindicated (UK)

AU TGA pregnancy category: C
US FDA pregnancy category: C

Comments:
-Use of adequate methods of contraception should be encouraged.
-If this drug is used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential harm to the fetus.

Animal studies have shown significantly decreased litter size, increased intrauterine deaths and prolongation of gestation and duration of labor when this drug was given before mating, throughout mating, and during gestation. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy.

Reversible biochemical changes in the head of spermatozoa occurred in some patients treated with calcium channel blockers. There are no controlled data for this drug, but animal models have shown adverse effects on male fertility.

AU TGA pregnancy category C: Drugs which, owing to their pharmacological effects, have caused or may be suspected of causing, harmful effects on the human fetus or neonate without causing malformations. These effects may be reversible. Accompanying texts should be consulted for further details.

US FDA pregnancy category C: Animal reproduction studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus and there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in humans, but potential benefits may warrant use of the drug in pregnant women despite potential risks.

References

  1. "Product Information. Norvasc (amlodipine)." Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceuticals PROD (2002):
  2. Cerner Multum, Inc. "UK Summary of Product Characteristics." O 0
  3. Cerner Multum, Inc. "Australian Product Information." O 0

The following applies to the ingredients: Atorvastatin (found in Lipitor)

Professional Content

Contraindicated

AU TGA pregnancy category: D
US FDA pregnancy category: Not assigned

Risk Summary: Limited data on the use of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) are insufficient to determine a drug-associated risk of major congenital malformations or miscarriage; this drug may cause fetal harm during pregnancy because HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors decrease cholesterol synthesis and possibly the synthesis of other biologically active substances derived from cholesterol.

Comments:
-This drug is contraindicated in pregnant women since the safety in pregnant women has not been established and there is no apparent benefit.
-If the patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, therapy should be discontinued and the patient should be apprised of the potential harm to the fetus.
-Women of reproductive potential should use effective contraception during therapy.

This drug crosses the rat placenta and reaches levels in the fetal liver equivalent to that of maternal plasma. Animal studies have failed to reveal evidence of embryofetal toxicity or congenital malformations. Rats administered doses 6 times the maximum recommended human dose from gestation day 7 through day 21 of weaning showed decreased postnatal growth and development. Limited published data have not shown an increased risk of major congenital malformations or miscarriages. Rare cases of congenital anomalies following intrauterine exposure to other HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors have been reported. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy.

Serum cholesterol and triglycerides increase during normal pregnancy, and cholesterol products are essential for fetal development. Since atherosclerosis is a chronic process, discontinuation of lipid-lowering drugs during pregnancy should have little impact on long term outcomes of primary hypercholesterolemia therapy.

AU TGA pregnancy category D: Drugs which have caused, are suspected to have caused or may be expected to cause, an increased incidence of human fetal malformations or irreversible damage. These drugs may also have adverse pharmacological effects. Accompanying texts should be consulted for further details.

US FDA pregnancy category Not Assigned: The US FDA has amended the pregnancy labeling rule for prescription drug products to require labeling that includes a summary of risk, a discussion of the data supporting that summary, and relevant information to help health care providers make prescribing decisions and counsel women about the use of drugs during pregnancy. Pregnancy categories A, B, C, D, and X are being phased out.

References

  1. "Product Information. Lipitor (atorvastatin)." Parke-Davis PROD (2001):
  2. Cerner Multum, Inc. "UK Summary of Product Characteristics." O 0
  3. Cerner Multum, Inc. "Australian Product Information." O 0

Drug and Breastfeeding Interactions

The following applies to the ingredients: Amlodipine (found in Norvasc)

Professional Content

Use is not recommended and a decision should be made to discontinue breastfeeding or discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother (AU, US)
Use is contraindicated (UK)

Excreted into human milk: Yes

Comments:
-The effects in the nursing infant are unknown.
-Infants exposed to this drug should be closely monitored.

References

  1. "Product Information. Norvasc (amlodipine)." Pfizer U.S. Pharmaceuticals PROD (2002):
  2. Cerner Multum, Inc. "UK Summary of Product Characteristics." O 0
  3. Cerner Multum, Inc. "Australian Product Information." O 0
  4. United States National Library of Medicine "Toxnet. Toxicology Data Network. http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT" (2013):

The following applies to the ingredients: Atorvastatin (found in Lipitor)

Professional Content

Use is contraindicated.

Excreted into human milk: Unknown
Excreted into animal milk: Yes

Comments:
-A similar drug of this class has been detected in human milk.
-This drug should not be used during breastfeeding due to the potential for serious adverse events in nursing infants and the concern over disruption of infant lipid metabolism.

References

  1. "Product Information. Lipitor (atorvastatin)." Parke-Davis PROD (2001):
  2. Cerner Multum, Inc. "UK Summary of Product Characteristics." O 0
  3. Cerner Multum, Inc. "Australian Product Information." O 0
  4. United States National Library of Medicine "Toxnet. Toxicology Data Network. http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/htmlgen?LACT" (2013):

Therapeutic Duplication Warnings

No warnings were found for your selected drugs.

Therapeutic duplication warnings are only returned when drugs within the same group exceed the recommended therapeutic duplication maximum.

Switch to: Professional Interactions

Drug Interaction Classification

These classifications are only a guideline. The relevance of a particular drug interaction to a specific individual is difficult to determine. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting or stopping any medication.

Major Highly clinically significant. Avoid combinations; the risk of the interaction outweighs the benefit.
Moderate Moderately clinically significant. Usually avoid combinations; use it only under special circumstances.
Minor Minimally clinically significant. Minimize risk; assess risk and consider an alternative drug, take steps to circumvent the interaction risk and/or institute a monitoring plan.
Unknown No interaction information available.

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