In the new television ad for Pfizer’s Lipitor, the world’s top selling drug, the endorser is an ordinary heart attack survivor named John Erlendson, who had a heart attack at age 57 after not taking drugs for his high cholesterol. Now, as he says in the ad, “I trust my heart to Lipitor.” He advises viewers to talk to their doctor about the things they can do in order to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke. Erlendson says his first heart attack was a “wake-up call” that prompted him to speak with his doctor. The ads also mention a Web site and phone number for information about Lipitor.

The previous Lipitor ad campaign was halted in February because it featured celebrity doctor endorser Robert Jarvik, who isn’t licensed to practice medicine, giving medical advice.

Lipitor prescriptions fell 15 percent since the advertising campaign was stopped.

The man in the new ad is “a real Lipitor patient, who is very representative of people with cholesterol problems," John Sage, head of Pfizer’s marketing team for Lipitor, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

Despite studies showing that direct-to-consumers (DTC) advertising’s effects on drug sales are unnoticeable, Sage said that DTC advertising remains an important way to reach patients. They see the ad and then discuss the health condition with their doctor as a result.

Lipitor is a cholesterol fighting drug that is typically taken once daily to block the enzyme in the liver that helps make cholesterol.