Lipitor Lawyer

A Lipitor lawyer may be able to help patients who have experienced serious health consequences after taking the medication. Although the drug is designed to help lower bad cholesterol levels and, while it has been successful for many patients, the statin medication may potentially increase a woman’s risk for diabetes. Affected patients and their families may be eligible to file a lawsuit and seek compensation for their injuries with the help of a bad drug attorney.

For more information, contact Attorney Group. We offer free, confidential, no obligation consultations. We can help answer your questions, and if you choose to pursue a case we can connect you with an affiliated Lipitor lawyer who can assist you throughout the legal process.

What is Lipitor?

Lipitor, or atorvastatin, is marketed by the Pfizer pharmaceutical company and falls into the statin class of medications. Approved in 1996 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Lipitor is typically prescribed in daily doses ranging from 10 mg to 80 mg.

Like other statin medications, Lipitor prevents a specific enzyme in the liver from forming low density lipids (LDLs), which is the type of cholesterol that can block arteries and lead to blood clots. The drug prevents this production and helps to reduce the patient’s risk of cardiovascular disease.

FDA Issues Lipitor Warning

The FDA required Pfizer to update its warning label in February 2012 to reflect a potential for the medication to increase the patient’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Pfizer was not the only manufacturer affected; other companies with similar medications were also asked to comply with the FDA’s request.

Serious side effects of Lipitor may include:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Kidney failure
• Muscle problems
• Dark urine
• Jaundice
• Liver complications
• Pancreatic dysfunction
• Neurological disorders
• Cognitive loss
• Anemia
• Increased risk of cancer

Additionally, patients have reported milder side effects such as tiredness, headaches, diarrhea, nausea, dizziness, gas, joint pain, indigestion, throat irritation, stomach cramps and infrequent or incomplete bowel movements. If you or a loved one are suffering from one or more of these side effects, contact Lipitor lawyers today to learn more about filing a lawsuit.

Those who meet one or more of the following criteria may be at an increased risk of developing side effects while taking Lipitor:

• Women, particularly those who are postmenopausal
• Those with a smaller body frame
• Patients 65 years of age or older
• Individuals currently living with diabetes or liver or kidney disease
• Those who drink alcohol on a regular basis
• Patients taking more than one medication to control cholesterol levels

Lipitor Linked to Diabetes Onset

A Lipitor lawyer notes that a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in January 2012 showed that women between 50 and 79 years of age who took Lipitor and other statin drugs were almost 50 percent more likely to develop diabetes than those who did not. Three other trials have also evaluated the link between type 2 diabetes and statin drugs – the Lancet study in 2011, the JACC study in 2010 and the Atherosclerosis study in 2010. According to the Lancet and JACC studies, patients were nine and 37 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, respectively. The Atherosclerosis study found that users were also at a significantly higher risk of diabetes, even if they did not have any pre-existing health conditions.

If you were diagnosed with diabetes while taking the drug or other statin medications, Lipitor lawyers can help you to file a lawsuit and seek compensation for your injuries.

Lipitor Lawsuit Claims

Those who have received a diabetes diagnosis or suffered from other health complications while taking Lipitor have begun to file lawsuits across the country to seek compensation for their condition. While the medical community has acknowledged several serious side effects of Lipitor such as rhabdomyolisis, liver dysfunction, heart attacks and cognitive damage, it is only recently that the drug has been linked to diabetes.

Several lawsuits claim that the manufacturer knew that the drug was not entirely safe for patients and decided to release it to consumers anyway. Court documents indicate that Pfizer marked the medication as safe and effective, despite an awareness of the increased risk of type diabetes and elevated blood sugar levels. If you have been injured, a Lipitor lawyer can review your case and determine whether you are eligible to hold Pfizer accountable for your condition.

How a Lipitor Lawyer Can Help

Drug makers have a duty to provide safe products. If there are risks of harm associated with their products, they also must provide adequate warnings. If a drug maker fails to fulfill this duty, it could be held liable in lawsuits for injuries that may result.

People injured by bad drugs may be eligible to recover money for:

• Medical Expenses
• Lost Wages
• Pain and Suffering

The families of those who have died may be eligible to recover money for funeral expenses and the pain that comes with losing a loved one.

For more information, contact Attorney Group. After you contact us, an attorney will follow up to answer questions that you might have. There is no cost or obligation to speak with us, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.

Please note that the law limits the time you have to pursue a claim or file a lawsuit for an injury. If you think you have a case, you should not delay taking action.