General Introduction to Lipitor Lipitor, known generically as atorvastatin, is a medication used to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. It belongs to a class of drugs known as statins, which work by reducing the production of cholesterol in the liver. Lipitor is a prescription medicine used to lower the risk of stroke, heart attack, or other heart complications. Learn about dosage, side effects, drug interactions, warnings, and more. Lipitor ® (atorvastatin) is a prescription statin medication used to lower high cholesterol and help prevent cardiovascular events like heart attack or stroke in people with certain risk factors. Lipitor contains the active ingredient atorvastatin. An active ingredient is what makes a drug work. Atorvastatin is also available as a generic drug. Lipitor comes as a tablet that you. Atorvastatin belongs to the group of medicines called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, or statins. It works by blocking an enzyme that is needed by the body to make cholesterol, and this reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. Brand Name: Lipitor. Generic Name: atorvastatin. Drug Class: statins, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, lipid -lowering agents. What is atorvastatin (Lipitor), and what is it used for? Atorvastatin (Lipitor) is a type of statin that lowers the level of cholesterol in the blood. Generic version: Lipitor is available in a generic form called atorvastatin. A generic drug is an exact copy of the active ingredient in a brand-name medication. Rosuvastatin (Crestor) and atorvastatin (Lipitor) are both statins that lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke in people at increased cardiovascular risk. Atorvastatin tablets are available as brand-name Lipitor and a generic. There's also a liquid form that only comes as brand name Atorvaliq. It's possible to have side effects like muscle pain, joint pain, and stomach upset. Most times, atorvastatin (Lipitor) is taken along with a heart-healthy diet to get the most benefits from treatment. Atorvastatin is commonly used to lower bad cholesterol levels (LDL-C) and fats (triglycerides) in the blood. It also increases good cholesterol levels (HDL). Improving your cholesterol.