Can you eat grapefruit while taking lipitor?

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Answer

Grapefruit juice interacts with many prescription drugs, which can cause potentially serious side effects or make some lifesaving drugs less effective.

This interaction is listed on a medication's "drug-food interaction" label. But many people overlook those labels.

Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs such as Lipitor can cause rhabdomyolysis. The possible risk is noted on the drug's warning labels. The sheet lists signs and symptoms of the condition, advising patients to take them seriously and seek immediate medical attention.

Lipitor was stopped and King was monitored for kidney problems, which rhabdomyolysis can trigger. He said he'd taken the prescribed doses and wasn't taking any over-the-counter or alternative medicines.

The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) acknowledges that grapefruit juice interacts with some cholesterol-lowering drugs.

The FDOC says grapefruit juice doesn't interact with most prescription drugs. The FDOC also notes that patients can usually take other drugs in the same drug class that don't interact with grapefruit juice.

Here are some drugs that interact with grapefruit juice. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you're concerned about any of your medications.

• Anxiety: Xanax, Buspar, Versed, Halcion
  
  
• Depression: Luvox, Zoloft
  
  
• Allergies: Allegra
  
  
• Abnormal heart rhythm: Cordarone, quinidine
  
  
• Heart disease/stroke/blood clots: Coumadin
  
  
• Epilepsy: Tegretol
  
  
• Cancer: Cyclophosphamide, etoposide, ifosfamide,
  tamoxifen, vinblastine, vincristine
  
  
• Cough: Dextromethorphan (found in many over-the-counter cold
  medicines)
  
  
• HIV: Agenerase, Crixivan, Viracept, Norvir, Fortovase
  
  
• Prostate enlargement: Proscar
  
  
• Heart disease/High blood pressure: Coreg, Cardizem, Plendil, Cardene, Adalat, Procardia, Nimotop, Sular, Covera, Calan, Verelan
  
  
• Erectile dysfunction: Viagra, Cialis
  
  
• Asthma/Emphysema: Theophylline
  
  
• High cholesterol: Lipitor, Lescol, Mevacor, Zocor
  
  
• Pain: Alfenta, Duragesic, Actiq, Sufenta
  
  
• Infection: Biaxin, Sporanox, erythromycin, troleandomycin

Patients should check with their doctors about specific interactions between grapefruit juice and medication.

Sources: Karch, A. American Journal of Nursing, December 2004. WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Statins for High Cholesterol." WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors." News release, University of Rochester Medical Center. News release, Florida Department of Citrus.

First answer by ID1203146149. Last edit by ID1203146149. Question popularity: 24 [recommend question]