Used in conjunction with dieting, exercise and weight loss, Lipitor is given to individuals suffering from high blood cholesterol levels. Lipitor is used by thousands of patients daily, which caused it to become 2008′s best selling pharmaceutical product. The drug is also used to prevent strokes and the development of heart disease in at-risk individuals. While not necessarily prohibitively expensive, the cost of Lipitor has led many patients to try cheaper alternatives. In order to do this, many individuals choose to buy generic Lipitor.

What is Generic Lipitor?

Generic Lipitor, also known as atorvastatin, is identical to name-brand Lipitor. Atorvastatin works by targeting a liver enzyme known as HMG-CoA reductase. This enzyme is critical for the body’s ability to produce cholesterol. By inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, atorvastatin effectively restricts how much cholesterol the body can create. Atorvastatin is classified as a statin, putting it in the same family as many other cholesterol medications. However, unlike some of those drugs, generic Lipitor is still unavailable.

When Will Patients Be Able to Buy Generic Lipitor?

Pfizer, the manufacturer of Lipitor, still holds an active patent on the drug, which grants the company an exclusivity period. During this period, it is illegal to produce or buy generic Lipitor. The patent is set to expire in June of 2011, but generic Lipitor will not immediately be available. This is because Pfizer has made an agreement with Ranbaxy Laborotires not to launch generic Lipitor until at least November of 2011. This means that generic Lipitor will finally appear on the market sometime in December of 2011.

What are Some Alternatives to Generic Lipitor?

For those that do not wish to wait to buy generic Lipitor, other options may be available. Patients should consider looking into other statins that are currently available in generic forms, such as lovastatin, pravastatin and simvastatin. While these are not guaranteed to provide results identical to Lipitor, many patients have found them to be more or less equivalent. Of course, patients should check with their doctor before beginning a regimen of any of these drugs, as all require a prescription to purchase. Individuals should be sure to tell their doctor if they have a history of diabetes, kidney disease or consume alcohol daily, as these factors can interact negatively with statins. As with Lipitor, patients that switch to another statin should continue to exercise and diet properly.