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Ezetimibe (eh-HIHI-firri-ibe)
Brand Name Zetia
Combination Product
Generic Ingredients: Ezetimibe + Simvastatin Vytorin
Type of Drug
Cholesterol - lowering agent.
Prescribed For
High cholesterol, high LDL (”bad”) cholesterol, high triglycerides, and low HDL (”good”) cholesterol; also prescribed for two rare genetic disorders called homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and homozygous sitosterolemia.
General Information
Unlike statin drugs, ezetimibe interferes with the absorption of cholesterol through the intestine and into the bloodstream. Ezetimibe may be helpful for people whose LDL (”bad”) cholesterol remains high despite treatment with a statin drug. Cholesterol-lowering medicines should always be used together with appropriate diet and exercise.
Ezetimibe may be taken alone but is often taken in combination with a statin drug (generally simvastatin). Vytorin is a brand-name combination of these 2 medications. See Stalin Cholesterol-Lowering Agents, page 1052.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take this drug if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
People with liver disease or elevated liver enzyme measurements should not take ezetimibe because its effects on the liver are not known.
Ezetimibe does not slow hardening of the arteries.
There may be a risk of myopathy (skeletal muscle disorder) with ezetimibe; contact your doctor if you experience any unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. Ezetimibe + simvastatin has the same effect as simvastatin alone; see Statin Cholesterol-Lowering Agents, page 1052.
Possible Side Effects
Ezetimibe side effects are similar to those reported by people taking a placebo (sugar pill).
V Most common: headache, back pain, joint pain, and abdominal pain.
C,Ibmrnon: muscle ache and respiratory infection.
V Less common: fatigue, chest pain, diarrhea, sore throat, and cough.
For additional information about ezetimibe + simvastatin, see Statin Cholesterol- Lowering Agents, page 1052.
Drug Interactions
•    Cholestyramine reduces the amount of ezetimibe absorbed
in the blood. Separate these drugs by 2 hours or more.
•    Cyclosporine (to prevent organ transplant rejection) may substantially increase the amount of ezetimibe in the blood. This combination must be monitored closely by your doctor.
•    Gemfibrozil (another blood-fat reducer) can increase the amount of ezetimibe in the blood.
•    Fenofibrate may increase the effects of ezetimibe. Fibrates
other than fenofibrate should not be used with ezetimibe due to
the risk of gallbladder complications. For additional informa-
tion about ezetimibe + simvastatin, see Statin Cholesterol-
Lowering Agents, page 1052.
Food Interactions
This drug can be taken without regard to food or meals.
Usual Dose
Ezetimibe
Adult and Child (age 10 and over): 10 mg once a day. Child (age 9 and under): not recommended.
Ezetimibe + Simvastatin
Adult: 10 mg ezetimibe plus 10-80 mg simvastatin once a day in the evening. The simavastatin dose depends on individual need.
Overdosage
Little is known about the effects of ezetimibe overdose. Call your local poison control center or a hospital emergency room for information. If you seek treatment, ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
If you are taking more than one drug to lower cholesterol or another blood fat, consider the side effects of all of those drugs combined.
,S’D'L’6a)  Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Little is known about the effects of ezetimibe during pregnancy. When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks. Statin drugs should never be taken by a pregnant woman or nursing mother.
It is not known if ezetimibe passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take it should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may use this drug without special precaution.

Generic Name
Famciclovir (fam-SYE-kloe-vere)
Brand Name  Famvir
Type of Drug Antiviral.
Prescribed For
Herpes zoster (shingles), genital herpes, herpes labilalis (cold sores), and herpes simplex in HIV-infected people.
General Information
Famciclovir is absorbed into the body and converted to the antiviral penciclovir, the drug that actually works against shingles by interfering with the reproduction of DNA in the herpes virus. Famciclovir does not affect DNA in uninfected body cells. Famciclovir is broken down by the liver and eliminated from the body through the kidneys.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take famiciclovir if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
Those with reduced kidney function should have their dosage adjusted accordingly.
Severe liver disease reduces the maximum possible concentration of Famciclovir in the blood and increases the time it takes to reach this maximum level; however, dosage adjustment is not normally required.
Possible Side Effer.%
♦    Most common: headache, nausea, and diarrhea.
♦    Less common: fever, fatigue, pain, vomiting, constipation, appetite loss, dizziness, tingling in the hands or feet, sleepiness, sore throat, sinus irritation, itching, gas, dysmemorrhea, and signs of shingles.
Possible Side Effects (continued)
Rare: chills, abdominal pain, back or joint pain, and upset stomach. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    Probenecid, cimetidine, and theophylline interfere with the elimination of famciclovir from the body, possibly leading to higher levels of famciclovir in the blood.
•    People who took famciclovir and digoxin together experienced increased digoxin In their blood.
Food Interactions  None known.
Usual Dose
Shingles
Adult (age 18 and over): 500 mg every 8 hours for 1 week. People with reduced kidney function may require a reduced dose taken as infrequently as once a day.
Genital Herpes
Adult (age 18 and over): 1000 mg twice daily for 1 day; or 250 mg twice a day for up to 1 year for suppression; or 250 mg 3 times a day for 7 days for initial episode. People with reduced kidney function take the same dose but less often, as infrequently as once every 2 days. HIV-infected people should take 500 mg twice a day for 7 days.
Cold Sores
Adult (age 18 and over): 1500 mg as a single dose. Initiate therapy at the earliest sign or symptom of a cold sore (tingling, itching, or burning).
Overdosage
Little is known about the effects of famciclovir ovecdose. Overdose victims should be %Mn to a hospital emergency room for treatment. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Famciclovir treatment should be started as soon as shingles is diagnosed. For maximum benefit, be sure to complete the full week of treatment.
Famciclovir is not a cure for genital herpes and it is not known if it will prevent the transmission of the herpes virus to another person. Avoid sexual intercourse when herpes lesions are present even while taking famciclovir for genital herpes.
Begin taking famciclovir at the first sign of a herpes attack (symptoms include pain, tenderness, burning, itching, tingling, ulcers, or scabs). The effectiveness of starting famciclovir 6 hours or more after symptoms or lesions appear has not been established.
Call your doctor if you experience any unusual or intolerable side effects.
If you forget a dose of famciclovir, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you forgot. Do not take a double dose. Call your doctor if you forget more than 2 doses in a row.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Famciclovir should only be taken by a pregnant woman if it is absolutely necessary and the possible benefits outweigh the risks to the fetus.
In animal studies, penciclovir (the active form of famciclovir) passed into breast milk in high concentrations but it is not known if this holds true for humans. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors clear famciclovir from the bloodstream more slowly than younger people and should have their dosage adjusted according to their level of kidney function.

Generic Name
Famotidine (fam-OE-tih-dine) 91
Brand Names
Fluxid    Pepcid AC
Pepcid    Pepcid Complete
Type of Drug  Histamine H2 antagonist.
Prescribed For
Ulcers of the stomach and duodenum (upper intestine). This drug is also used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD),
stress ulcer, and other conditions characterized by the production of large amounts of gastric fluids; to prevent stress ulcer and stomach and upper intestinal bleeding; and to stop the production of stomach acid during surgery. Pepcid AC is approved for heartburn.
General Information
Histamine H2 antagonists work by turning off the system that produces stomach acid and other secretions. Famotidine is effective in treating the symptoms of ulcer and preventing complications of the disease, although an ulcer that does not respond to another histamine H2 antagonist will probably not respond to famotidine. Histamine H2 antagonists differ only in their potency. Cimetidine is the least potent; 1000 mg are roughly equal to 300 mg of either nizatidine or ranitidine, or 40 mg of famotidine. All these drugs have roughly equivalent success rates in treating ulcer disease and comparable risk of side effects.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take famotidine if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients or to any histamine H2 antagonist.
People with kidney or liver disease should take famotidine with caution because 1/3 of each dose is broken down in the liver and the rest passes out of the body through the kidneys.
Do not self-treat with over-the-counter (OTC) forms of famotidine without the advice and supervision of your doctor.
Possible Side Effects
✓    Most common: headache.
✓    Less common: dizziness, mild diarrhea, and constipation.
✓    Rare: Rare side effects can occur in almost any part of the body. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    T-_Meat-coated tablets should not be taken with famotidine. The change in stomach acidity that famotidine produces causes the tablets to disintegrate prematurely in the stomach.
•    Antacids, anticholinergics, and metoclopramide may slightly reduce the amount of famotidine absorbed into the blood. No special precaution is needed.
Food Interactions
Famotidine may be taken without regard to food or meals.
Usual Dose
Adult 20-40 mg at bedtime, or 20 mg twice a day for 4-8 weeks. Dosage should be reduced in people with severe kidney disease.
Child (age 1-16): 0.23-0.45 mg per lb. of body weight, at bedtime or in 2 divided doses, up to 40 mg a day.
Child (under age 1): Consult your doctor.
Over-the-counter forms of famotidine such as Pepcid AC or Pepcid Complete should only be used for the temporary relief of heartburn, and are not recommended for children under 12 years of age. Do not take more than 2 capsules or chewable tablets in 24 hours.
Overdosage
Little is known about the effects of famotidine overdose, but victims may experience exaggerated side effects. Your local poison control center may advise giving ipecac syrup—available at any pharmacy—to induce vomiting and remove any remaining drug from the stomach. Victims who have definite symptoms should be taken to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Take famotidine exactly as directed and follow your doctor’s instructions regarding diet and other treatment in order to get the maximum benefit from the drug. Antacids may be taken together with famotidine if needed.
Do not take the maximum dose continuously for more than 2 weeks without the consent and supervision of your doctor.
Cigarettes worsen stomach ulcers and may reduce famotidine’s effectiveness.
Call your doctor at once if you develop any unusual side eiiecls such as bleeding or bruising,’ iWness, diarrhea, dizziness, or rash. &’A&, tarry stools or vomiting material that resembles coffee grounds may indicate your ulcer is bleeding.
If you forget a dose of famotidine, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the one you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations    revealed no Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Although animal studies
damage to the fetus, famotidine should be avoided by women who are or might be pregnant. When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its possible benefits must be carefully weighed against
its risks.
Famotidine may pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who
must take this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may need lower doses due to loss of kidney function and may be more susceptible to side effects.

Generic Name
Felbamate (FEL-bam-ate)
Brand Name Felbatol
Type of Drug  Anticonvulsant.
Prescribed For
Partial seizures and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in children.
General Information
Felbamate is related to the older sedative meprobamate. Exactly how felbamate works is not known, but it raises the seizure threshold and prevents the seizure impulse from spreading in the brain, as do other anticonvulsants. Felbamate should only be used when other seizure drugs have failed because of the risks associated with it. About half of each dose passes out of the body through the kidneys; the other half is broken down and eliminated by the liver.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take felbamate if you am allergic or sensitive to any of its ‘Irigredlents or to any related drugs such as meprobamate.
Felbamate is associated with an increase in the risk of aplastic anemia, a potentially fatal condition.
Possibly fatal liver failure occurs in people taking felbamate much more often than normal. Regular liver function tests are recommended. People with liver disease should not take felbamate.
Felbamate is not recommended as first-line epilepsy treatment. Felbamate should be used only by those with severe epilepsy for whom the benefits outweigh the risks. Doctors prescribing felbamate should be thoroughly familiar with the drug and must obtain written, informed consent from patients before prescribing.
Felbamate should never be suddenly stopped or seizures may become more frequent. Dosage should be gradually reduced or replaced by another anticonvulsant.
Felbamate may cause increased sensitivity to the sun. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen while taking this drug. People with kidney disease may require lower doses.
Possible Side Effects
Adult
♦    Most common: sleeplessness, sleepiness, fatigue, headache, dizziness, nervousness, upset stomach, vomiting, constipation, nausea, and appetite loss.
V Common: anxiety, tremors, walking unusually, depression, tingling in the hands or feet, diarrhea, liver inflammation, abdominal pains, respiratory infections, abnormal vision, and taste changes.
✓    Less common: weakness, dry mouth, stupor, abnormal thinking, rash, sinus irritation, sore throat, muscle aches, fever, and chest pain.
♦    Rare: Rare side effects can occur in almost any part of the body. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Child
✓    Most common: abdominal pain, fever, respiratory infections, sleeplessness, sleepiness, nervousness, vomiting, constipation, and black-and-blue marks.
✓    Common: headache, appetite loss, hiccups, sore throat, coughing, middle ear infections, fatigue, weight loss, temporary loss of urine control, qak”,,NbNW)ng unusually, weak-))855, abnormal thinking, emotional instability, pinpoint pupils, rash, upset stomach, and low white-blood-cell count.
✓    Rare: Rare side effects can occur in almost any part of the body. Contact your doctor if your child experiences any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    Combining felbamate and other antiseizure drugs usually requires dosage adjustments due to the risk of drug interaction. Dosage of felbamate should be reduced by 20-33% to reduce the risks of associated side effects.
•    Combining felbamate and carbamazepine reduces blood levels of both drugs by roughly half. Dosage adjustments are necessary.
•    Combining phenobarbital and felbamate increases the amount of phenobarbital in the blood and decreases felbamate levels. Dosage adjustments are necessary.
•    If you combine felbamate and phenytoin, your phenytoin dosage may have to be reduced by as much as 40%. This combination also decreases felbamate blood levels by almost 50%.
•    Felbamate increases blood levels of valproic acid and methsuximide.
Food Interactions
Felbamate is best taken on an empty stomach but may be taken with food if it causes upset stomach.
Usual Dose
Adult and Child (age 14 and over): 1200-3600 mg a day, divided into 3-4 doses.
Child (age 2-13): 6.8-20.5 mg per lb. a day, divided into 3-4 doses.
Overdosage
Overdose symptoms may include upset stomach, increased heart rate, and felbamate side effects. Call your local poison control center or a hospital emergency room for more information. If you seek treatment, ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Do not take more felbamate than your doctor has prescribed. Felbamate can cause drowsiness; be careful when, driving  perfQ(ft g
Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun while taking felbamate. Call your doctor if you develop any bothersome or persistent side effect.
Maintain good dental hygiene while taking felbamate and use extra care when brushing or flossing because this drug can cause swollen gums. See your dentist regularly.
km ,s %2& nq6re concentration.
If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, take 1 dose right away and another in 3 or 4 hours, then go back to your regular schedule. Do not take
a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: This drug may cross into fetal circulation. When the drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks.
Felbamate passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should consider using infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors, especially those with liver, kidney, or heart disease, may be more sensitive to the effects of this drug and should receive lower doses.

Generic Name
Felodipine (feh-LOE-dih-pene) 91
Brand Name Plendil
Combination Product
Generic Ingredients: Enalapril + Felodipine Lexxel
Type of Drug
Calcium channel blocker.
Prescribed For  High blood pressure.
General Information
Felodipine is one of many calcium channel blockers available in the U.S. Its once-daily dosage schedule makes it particularly stilted to treating high blood Felodipine blocks the passage of calcium, an essential factor in muscle contraction, into the heart and smooth muscles. Such blockage interferes with the contraction of these muscles, which in turn dilates (widens) the veins and vessels that supply blood to them. This dilating effect reduces blood pressure, the amount of oxygen used by the heart muscle, and the risk of blood vessel spasm. Felodipine is therefore useful in
treating not only high blood pressure but also angina pectoris (brief attacks of chest pain), a condition related to poor oxygen supply
to the heart muscles.
Felodipine only affects the movement of calcium into muscle cells-, it has no effect on calcium in the blood.
Lexxel is a combination of felodipine and enalapril, an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take felodipine if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
On rare occasions, felodipine may cause very low blood pressure that may lead to stimulation of the heart and rapid heartbeat and can worsen angina. This reaction may happen when treatment is first started, when dosage is increased, or if the drug is rapidly withdrawn; it may be avoided by reducing dosage gradually.
Studies have shown that people taking calcium channel blockers—usually those taken several times a day, not those taken only once daily—have a greater chance of having a heart attack than do people taking beta blockers or other medications for the same purpose. Discuss this with your doctor to be sure you are receiving the best possible treatment.
Patients taking a beta-blocking drug who begin taking felodipine may develop heart failure or increased angina.
People with severe liver disease may require dosage adjustments.
People taking felodipine who have had a heart attack and have lung congestion may experience worsened heart failure, since this drug can actually reduce the force of each heartbeat.
Possible Side Effects
Side effects produced by calcium channel blockers are generally mild and rarely cause people to stop taking them. Side effects are more common with higher doses and in older patients.
I Most common: swelling in the ankles, feet, or legs; dizziness; lightheadedness; muscle weakness or cramps; facial flushing; and headache.
V Less common: respiratory infections, cough, tingling in the hands or feet, upset stomach, abdominal pains, chest pains,
stomach, , heart palpitations,
Drug Interactions
•    Felodipine may increase the amount of beta-blocking drugs in the bloodstream. This can lead to heart failure, very low blood pressure, or an increased incidence of angina. However, in many cases these drugs have been taken together with no problem.
•    Felodipine increases the effects of other blood-pressurelowering drugs. Such drug combinations are often used to treat hypertension.
•    Cimetidine, ranitidine, and azole antifungals such as ketoconazole and itraconazole increase the amount of felodipine in the blood and may account for a slight increase in the drug’s effect.
•    Phenytoin and other hydantoin antiseizure medicines, carbamazepine, and barbiturate sleeping pills and sedatives may decrease the amount of felodipine in the blood, reducing its effect on the body.
•    Erythromycin and cyclosporine may increase the side effects of felodipine.
•    Felodipine may increase the effects of digoxin, theophylline (prescribed for asthma and other respiratory problems), and oral anticoagulant (blood-thinning) drugs.
•    Felodipine may also interact with quinidine (prescribed for abnormal heart rhythm) to produce low blood pressure, very slow heart rate, abnormal heart rhythms, and swelling in the arms or legs.
•    Qd(Gii= Channel blockers may cause bleeding when taken alone or combined with aspirin.
Food Interactions
You may take felodipine with food if it upsets your stomach. Avoid taking felodipine with grapefruit juice—it doubles the amount of drug absorbed.
Possible Side Effects (continued) nausea, constipation, diarrhea
throat, runny nose, back pain,    rash.
and
♦ Rare: Rare side effects can affect the heart,
blood, and joints. It can affect    and
your mood, sex drive,
urinary tract. Contact your do    you experience side effect not listed above.
ctor if    any Usual Dose
2.5-10 mg a day. No patient should take more than 20 mg a day. Do not stop taking felodipine abruptly. The dosage should be reduced gradually over a period of time.
Overdosage
Felodipine overdose can cause low blood pressure. If you think you have taken an overdose of felodipine, call your doctor or go to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Call your doctor if you develop constipation, nausea, very low blood pressure, breathing difficulties, increased heart pain, dizziness, or lightheadedness, or if other side effects are bothersome or persistent.
Swelling of the hands or feet may develop within 2 or 3 weeks of starting felodipine. The chances of this happening depend on age and dosage. It occurs in less than 10% of people under age 50 taking 5 mg a day and in more than 30% of those over age 60 taking 20 mg a day.
Be sure to continue taking your medication even if you feel well, and follow any instructions for diet restriction or other treatments to help maintain lower blood pressure.
Do not break or crush felodipine tablets.
It is important to maintain good dental hygiene while taking felodipine and to use extra care when using your toothbrush or dental floss because of the chance that the drug will make you more susceptible to certain infections.
If you forget to take a dose of felodipine, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy1filreast-feeding. Animal studies of felodipk”e have shown that it crosses RAW the Zeta) circulation and causes birth iNlfEcls. Women who are or who might become pregnant while taking this drug should not take it without their doctor’s approval. The potential benefit of taking felodipine must be carefully weighed against its risks.
It is not known if felodipine passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who take felodipine should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors, especially those with liver disease, are more sensitive to the effects of this drug.

Tags: abdominal pain, anticonvulsant, appetite, appropriate diet, channel, cholesterol lowering agents, cholesterol lowering medicines, diarrhea, dizziness, drug interaction, elevated liver enzyme, epilepsy, erythromycin, exercise, ezetimibe, ezetimibe simvastatin, familial hypercholesterolemia, felbamate, function, GENERIC, generic ingredients, good cholesterol, hardening of the arteries, Headache, heart failure, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, information, Interactions, intercourse, Lennox-Gastaut, liver disease, maximum, muscle ache, muscle disorder, nervousness, placebo, pregnancy, rare genetic disorders, statin drugs, stomach, supervision, theophylline, upset stomach, vomiting, weight

Generic Name
Estazolam (es-TAZ-oe-lam) V
Type of Drug Benzodiazepine sedative.
Prescribed For
Insomnia and sleep disturbances.
General Information
Estazolam is a member of the group of drugs known as benzodiazepines. They work by a direct effect on the brain. Benzodiazepines make it easier to go to sleep and decrease the number of times you wake up during the night. Estazolam is considered an intermediate-acting sedative and generally remains in your body long enough to give you a good night’s sleep with minimal “hangover.”
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take estazolam if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients. Severe allergic reactions may occur. People with respiratory disease taking estazolam may experience sleep apnea (intermittent cessation of breathing during sleep). People who already have, or suspect they have, sleep apnea should not take estazolam.
People with kidney or liver disease should be carefully monitored while taking estazolam. Take the lowest possible dose to help you sleep.
Clinical depression may be increased by estazolam, which can depress the nervous system. Intentional overdose is more common among depressed people who take sleeping pills than among those who do not.
All benzodiazepines can be addictive if taken for long periods of time and can cause drug withdrawal symptoms if discontinued suddenly. It should be used With caution in people with a history 0 YATUg dependence. Withdrawal symptoms include tremors, Muscle cramps, insomnia, agitation, diarrhea, vomiting, sweating, and convulsions.
People with a history of seizures should not abruptly stop taking estazolam.
Possible Side Effects
♦    Common: drowsiness, headache, dizziness, talkativeness,
nervousness, apprehension, poor muscle coordination, light-
headedness, daytime tiredness, muscle weakness, slow-
ness of movement, hangover, and euphoria (feeling “high”).
♦    Less common: nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, confusion, temporary memory loss, upset stomach, stomach cramps and pain, depression, blurred or double vision and other visual disturbances, constipation, changes in sense of taste, appetite changes, stuffy nose, nosebleeds, common cold symptoms, asthma, sore throat, cough, breathing difficulties, diarrhea, dry mouth, allergic reaction, fainting, abnormal heart rhythm, itching, acne, dry skin, sensitivity to bright light or to the sun, rash, nightmares or strange dreams, sleeplessness, tingling in the hands or feet, ringing or buzzing in the ears, ear or eye pain, menstrual cramps, frequent urination and other urinary difficulties, blood in the urine, discharge from the penis or vagina, lower back and joint pain, muscle spasms and pain, fever, swollen breasts, and weight changes.
✓    Rare: Rare side effects can affect your heart, stomach and intestines, urinary tract, blood, muscles, and joints. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    As with all benzodiazepines, the effects of estazolam are enhanced if it is taken with an alcoholic beverage, antihistamine, sedative, barbiturate, anticonvulsant medication, antidepressant, or monoamine oxidase inhibitor antidepressant.
•    Carbamazepine and phenytoin may reduce blood levels and the effectiveness of estazolam by stimulating liver enzymes responsible for its breakdown.
•    Ketoconazole, itraca(\ailzAe, netazodone, fluvoxamine, diltiamm,’isoniazid, some macrolide antibiotics, contraceptive drugs, cimetidine, and disulfiram may increase the effect of estazolam by interfering with the drug’s breakdown in the liver. Probenecid also increases estazolam’s effects by interfering with it passing through the kidneys into urine.
•    Cigarette smoking, rifampin, and theophylline may reduce the effect of estazolam.
•    Levodopa + carbidopa’s effectiveness may be decreased by estazolam.
•    Estazolam may increase the amount of zidovudine (an HIV drug—also known as AZT), phenytoin, or digoxin in your bloodstream, increasing the chances of side effects.
•    The combination of clozapine and benzodiazepines has led to respiratory collapse in a few people. Estazolam should be stopped at least 1 week before starting clozapine treatment.
Food Interactions
Estazolam may be taken with food if it upsets your stomach.
Usual Dose
Adult (age 18 and over): 1-2 mg at bedtime.
Senior: 1 mg at bedtime. Small or frail patients should start on 0.5 mg. Dosage should be increased cautiously.
Child (under age 18): not recommended.
Overdosage
The most common overdose symptoms are confusion, sleepiness, depression, loss of muscle coordination, and slurred speech. Coma and death may also occur. People who take an estazolam overdose must be made to vomit with ipecac syrup—available at any pharmacy—to remove any remaining drug from the stomach: Call your doctor or a poison control center before doing this. The victim must be taken to a hospital emergency room for treatment if 30 minutes have passed since the overdose was taken or if symptoms have begun to develop. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Never take more estazolam than your doctor has prescribed. Avoid alcoholic beverages and other nervous system depressants while taking estazolam.
Exercise caution while performing tasks that require concentration and such as driving: estazolam may make you tired, dizzy, or lightheaded. People taking estazolam or any other sleeping medicine may experience unusual and complex reactions while asleep, such as driving, making phone calls, and cooking with no memory of the event.
If you take estazolam daily for 3 or more weeks, you may experience some withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking the
drug, especially temporary sleep disturbance. In rare cases, patients discontinuing estazolam have suffered seizures or delirium. Patients with a history of seizures should taper when stopping use
of this drug.
If you forget to take a dose of estazolam and remember within about 1 hour of your regular time, take it right away. If you do not remember until later, skip the dose you forgot and go back to your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Estazolam absolutely should not be used by pregnant women or by women who may become pregnant.
Estazolam passes into breast milk. The drug should not be taken by nursing mothers.
Seniors: Seniors are more susceptible to the effects of estazolam. Type of Drug

Estrogens (ES-troe-jens)
Brand Names
Generic Ingredient: Conjugated Estrogens Premarin    Premarin Cream
Generic Ingredient: Conjugated Estrogens (Synthetic) Cenestin    Enjuvia
Generic Ingredients: Conjugated Estrogens + Medroxyprogesterone
Premphase    Prempro
Generic Ingredient: Esterified Estrogens Menest
Generic Ingredients: Esterified Estrogens + Methyttestosterone Estratest
Generic Ingredient: Estradio(& Alora,
Climara Divigel Elestrin Estrace Estraderm
Estring Estrogel
Evamist Transdermal Spray Femring
Femtrace Gynodiol
Innofem Menostar Vagifem
Vivelle Vivelle-Dot
Generic ingredients: Estradiol + Drospirenone Angeliq
Generic Ingredients: Estradiol + Levonorgestrel Climara Pro    Nuvaring
Generic Ingredients: Estradiol + Norgestimate 99 Pretest
Generic Ingredient: Estropipate
Ogen Cream    Ortho-Est
Generic Ingredients: Ethinyl Estradiol + Norethindrone Activella Combipatch    FemHRT 1/5
Prescribed For
Moderate to severe menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and sleep problems, vaginal dryness and irritation (creams and gels); also prescribed for ovarian failure, osteoporosis prevention, male breast cancer, advanced prostate cancer, abnormal bleeding of the uterus, female castration, Turner’s syndrome, and birth control.
General Information
Six estrogens have been identified in women but only 3 are present in large amounts: estradiol, estrone, and estriol. Estradiol is the most potent and most important. Other estrogens are produced by chemical conversions in the body. Estradiol, for example, is transformed into estrone, which in turn becomes estriol. Estrogens all have the same actions and side effects; only potency varies. More potent types require smaller dosages to produce the same effect.
Millions of women have taken hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to manage menopausal symp<oms, but studies show that HRT doeq WMpYove quality of life for most. Women who experience severe menopause symptoms must weigh the benefits of prolonged hormone replacement therapy against its risks.
Estrogens are largely responsible for the growth and maintenance of the female reproductive system and sex characteristics. They affect the release of hormones from the pituitary gland (con-troller of hormone production and regulator of basic bodily functions). These hormones control the functioning of capillaries (smallest blood vessels), may cause fluid retention, affect protein breakdown in the body, prevent ovulation and breast engorgement after childbirth, and influence the shaping and maintenance of the skeleton through an effect on calcium.
Estrogen products differ in their hormone content and dosage. Some may affect one part of the body more than another. Generally, though, estrogens are interchangeable as long as dosage differences are taken into account.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take estrogens if you are allergic or sensitive to any of their ingredients.
Products containing an estrogen and a progestin should not be used for the prevention or treatment of bladder-control problems, heart disease, or mental decline (dementia).
Women with an intact uterus who choose hormone replacement therapy for menopausal symptoms should take the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time to minimize the risks associated with these medicines. The results of a very large study called the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) first published in 2002 and updated with new reports, have drastically changed the face of estrogen replacement therapy. The study found a small but insignificant increase in the risk of non-fatal heart attacks. There was no increase in heart disease in the estrogen plus progestin part of the WHI. Early results of the WHI found 4-6 more cases of invasive breast cancer for every 10,000 women in the study and tumors were harder to detect. But this result was not confirmed after more than 7 years of additional study. Estrogens may also lead to abnormal mammograms. An increased risk of a stroke was found in the WHI study. The risk of blood clots forming in the body was doubled in women taking hormone therapy. This study did show some benefits of long-term hormone replacement in colon cancer and osteoporosis, but these benefits may not outweigh the risks of hormone replacement therapy.
Women with liver damage or disease, blood-clotting problems, or abnormal vaginal bleeding whose cause is unknown, should not take estrogens.
Women who smoke cigarettes and take estrogen have a greater risk of cardiovascular side effects, including stroke and blood clotting.
Estrogens may increase the risk of endometriat cancer by 4.514 times in postmenopausal women taking them without progestin for prolonged periods of time; the risk depends on duration of treatment and dosage. Women who have a strong family history of breast cancer or who have breast nodules or cysts or an abnormal mammogram should be cautious about using estrogens. Women with estrogen-dependent cancer or breast cancer should not take estrogens, except some being treated for breast cancer that has spread. Women taking an estrogen for breast cancer that has spread to their bones can develop large increases in blood calcium.
Postmenopausal women taking estrogen are 2-3 times more likely to develop gallbladder disease.
Estrogens can raise blood pressure. Pressure usually returns to normal when the drug is stopped.
People with thrombophlebitis should avoid these drugs. The risk is greatest with very high dosages. Lower hormone dosages may not be a problem.
Estrogens should not be used to treat painful breast enlargement that sometimes develops after giving birth.
Estrogens can cause significant increases in blood triglycerides and cause pancreas inflammation in women with inherited blood-fat disorders.
Vaginal estrogen cream may stimulate bleeding of the uterus. It may also cause breast tenderness, vaginal discharge, and withdrawal bleeding if the product is suddenly stopped. Women with endometriosis may experience heavy vaginal bleeding.
Women taking hormone replacement therapy are at a 50% greater than normal risk of senile dementia.
Drospirenone, a progestin and an ingredient in Angeliq, can raise blood potassium levels in some people because it opposes the hormone aldosterone. It should not be used in people with conditions that can lead to high blood potassium such as kidney disease or a poorly functioning adrenal gland. Drospennone should be used with caution by women who we also taking other medicines that raise tl(QW potassium, such as nonsteroidal antiWkvmmMory drugs (NSAIDs), potassium-sparing diuretics, potassium supplements, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, All receptor antagonists, and heparin. Your doctor may want to check your blood potassium level if you might be at risk of high blood potassium.
Possible Side Effects
v Most common: breast enlargement or tenderness, ankle and leg swelling, appetite loss, weight changes, water retention and bloating, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps. The estrogen patch may cause rash, irritation, and redness where it is applied.
V Less common: bleeding gums, breakthrough vaginal bleeding, vaginal spotting or discharge, changes in menstrual flow, painful menstruation, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), absence of menstrual periods during and after estrogen use, uterine fibroid enlargement, vaginal Candida infection, a cystitis-like condition, mild diarrhea, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, eye lesions, contact-lens intolerance, rash, hair loss, development of new hairy patches, migraine, mild dizziness, depression, increased sex drive (women), and decreased sex drive (men).
♦ Rare: stroke, blood-clot formation, dribbling or sudden passage of urine, loss of coordination, chest pain, leg pain, breathing difficulties, slurred speech, and changes in vision. Men who take large estrogen dosages for prostate cancer have a greater risk of heart attack, phlebitis, and blood clots in the lungs. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    Phenytoin, ethotoin, mephenytoin, and topiramate may interfere with estrogen’s effects.
•    Estrogens may reduce the effect of oral anticoagulant (blood-thinning) drugs. Your anticoagulant dosage may need an adjustment.
•    Estrogens may increase the side effects of antidepressants and phenothiazine sedatives.
•    Low estrogen dosages may increase 0\enolhiazine’s effectiveness.
% ‘ittrogens may increase cyclosporine and corticosteroid blood levels. Dosage adjustments of the non-estrogen drugs may be needed.
•    Estrogens may reduce the effectiveness of thyroid replacement therapy.
•    Rifampin, barbiturates, carbamazepine, St. John’s wort, and other drugs that stimulate the liver to break down drugs may reduce estrogen blood levels.
•    Estrogens may interfere with tamoxifen and bromocripline.
•    Women, especially those ova. 35, who smoke cigarettes and take estrogen have a much greater risk of developing stroke, hardening of the arteries, or blood clots in the lungs. The risk increases with age and tobacco use.
•    Estrogens interfere with many diagnostic tests. Make sure your doctor knows you are taking estrogen before conducting any blood tests or other diagnostic procedures.
Food Interactions
Estrogens may be taken with food to reduce nausea and upset stomach. Avoid drinking grapefruit juice if you are taking this drug.
Usual Dose
Dosage varies. All of these products, including the transdermal skin patch, may be taken continuously or on a cyclic schedule of 3 weeks on, 1 week off.
Tablets
Chlorotrianisene: 12-200 mg.
Conjugated estrogens: 0.3-30 mg.
Conjugated estrogens, synthetic: 0.625-1.25 mg. Esterified estrogens: 0.3-30 mg.
Estradiol: 0.5-30 mg.
Estropipate: 0.625-7.5 mg.
Ethinyl estradiol: 0.02-3.0 mg.
Estradiol Transdermal Patch (0.025, 0.0375, 0.05, 0.075, or 0.1 mg) Alora, Estraderm, and Esclim: 1 patch twice a week: or use 1
patch twice a week for 3 weeks, stop for 1 week, then start again. Climara and Fempatch: 1 patch every week; or use 1 patch once
a week for 3 weeks, stop for 1 week, then start again.
Estradiol Transdermal Spray: 1-3 Sprays (1.53 mg estradiol in each spray
face of the forearm, starting near the elbow. Do not allow the sprays to overlap each other. Allow the spray to dry for about 2 minutes and do not wash the arm for 30 minutes. Do not apply the spray to any other part of the body.
3Wkw1 Onext to each other every morning on the inner sur-Estradiol Gel: Spread 1 pumpful of the gel as thinly as possible over the entire area on the inside and outside of your arm from wrist to
shoulder, once a day at the same time every day.
Vaginal Cream
Conjugated estrogens: 0.52 g a day for 3 weeks; stop for 1 week,
then start again.
Dienestrol: 1 applicatorful 12 times a day for 12 weeks, half the
original dosage for another 12 weeks, then 1 applicatoviO 13 times
a week.
Estradiol: 24 g a day for 2 weeks, half the starting dosage for an-
other 2 weeks, then 1 g 13 times a week.
Estropipate: 24 g a day for 3 weeks; stop for 1 week, then start again.
Estradiol Ring
Insert once every 3 months.
Overdosage
Symptoms may include nausea and vaginal bleeding in adult women. Call your local poison control center or a hospital emergency room for information. If you seek treatment, ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Call your doctor if you develop breast pain or tenderness, swelling of the feet and lower legs, rapid weight gain, chest pain, breathing difficulties, pain in the groin or calves, unusual or persistent vaginal bleeding, missed menstrual period, lumps in the breast, sudden severe headache, dizziness or fainting, disturbances in speech or vision, weakness or numbness in the arms or legs, abdominal pain, sudden severe vomiting, depression, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, or jerky or involuntary muscle movement.
Women taking estrogens or combined estrogen and progestin therapy should have yearly lamasN exams, perform monthly breast self -Paw i)26ions, and have regular mammograms.
Talk to your health care provider about ways to reduce risk factors for heart disease (blood-pressure control, improving your diet, stopping tobacco use) and osteoporosis (an appropriate diet, vitamin D and calcium supplements, weight-bearing exercise).
Tell your doctor if you are having surgery or require bedrest: your doctor may have you stop taking estrogen 4-6 weeks beforehand to prevent the risk of blood clots.
Your doctor should reevaluate your need for estrogen vaginal cream every 36 months. Do not stop using the drug suddenly because this may increase your risk of developing unpredicted or breakthrough vaginal bleeding.
Women using the cream who develop breast tenderness, start to bleed, or have other vaginal discharge should contact their doctors at once.
Estrogen skin patches should be applied to a clean, dry, non-oily, hairless area of intact skin, preferably on the abdomen. Do not apply it to your breasts or waist, or to any area where tightfitting clothes may loosen the patch from your skin. The application site should be rotated to prevent irritation, and each site should have a patch-free period for 7 days.
Good dental hygiene is important while taking estrogen because estrogen may increase your risk of oral infection. Dental work should be completed prior to starting estrogen, if possible.
Vaginal estrogen cream should be inserted high into the vagina, about 2/3 of the length of the applicator.
Press the vaginal ring into an oval and insert as deeply as possible in the upper 1/3 of the vagina.
Some of these products contain tartrazine (a commonly used orange dye and food coloring). If you are allergic to tartrazine or have asthma, check with your pharmacist to find out if your estrogen product contains this coloring agent.
If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the one you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Authorities note that the risk of serious complications for an individual woman taking hormone replacement therapy is very small. Thus, you may decide to take hormones but your decision should be based on a complete discussion of the facts and your individual situation with your doctor. Continue to talk with your doctor regularly about weighing tt% i1%’Ks against the benefits of taking estrQ(;e5\.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Estrogens harm the fetus and should never be used during pregnancy for any reason.
Estrogens pass into breast milk and reduce its flow. Nursing mothers who must take them should use infant formula.
Seniors: The risk of side effects increases with age, especially if you smoke. Women age 65 or older taking estrogens may be more likely to develop a stroke, blood clot, or dementia, a condition where people suddenly or gradually lose normal mental function and intellectual capacity.

Generic Name
Eszopiclone (ess-oh-PIK-lone)
Brand Name Lunesta
Type of Drug  Sedative.
Prescribed For Insomnia.
General Information
Eszopiclone is a nonbenzodiazepine sleeping pill that is believed to work in much the same way as the drug zolpidem and as benzodiazepine-type sleeping pills and sedatives. Unlike the benzodiazepines, however, eszopiclone has little muscle-relaxing or antiseizure effects. This drug is rapidly absorbed and usually starts working within a few minutes. Eszopiclone causes little or no “hangover,” and there are no rebound effects after stopping the drug. In studies of eszopiclone, tolerance to its effects did not develop even after 6 months of continued use. Eszopiclone is broken down in the liver, and the level of this drug in the body does not increase after you take it for several days.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take eszopiclone if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
People With severe liver disease should use eszopiclone with caution and must take less of this medication than those with normal liver function or mild liver disease.
Sleeping problems often result from a physical or psychological illness. Eszopiclone does not affect the underlying causes of
insomnia. It should be taken only with your doctor’s knowledge. If you cannot sleep even after 7-10 days of taking eszopiclone, con-
tact your doctor.
Eszopiclone has caused amnesia (memory loss), but this happens mostly at dosages larger than 2 mg per night.
Suddenly stopping eszopiclone after having taken it for some time may produce drug withdrawal (symptoms include fatigue, nausea, flushing, lightheadedness, crying, vomiting, stomach cramps, panic, nervousness, and general discomfort).
People with a history of substance abuse may be more likely to develop drug dependence on eszopiclone. Eszopiclone doses of 612 mg are similar to 20 mg of diazepam in their potential for abuse.
Eszopiclone is a nervous system depressant and may cause loss of coordination and concentration. It should be taken just before bedtime. People taking sleep medicine may experience unusual and complex reactions while asleep, such as driving, making phone calls, or cooking with no memory of the event. Eszopiclone may also interfere with normal activities the next day, especially if taken with alcohol.
Eszopiclone should be avoided by people with severe depression, severe lung disease, and sleep apnea (intermittently stopping breathing when you are asleep). You should not take this drug if you are drunk.
Possible Side Effects
Adults
Some side effects are more likely with larger doses (viral infection, dry mouth, dizziness, hallucinations, infections, rash, and unpleasant taste).
♦    Most common: headache, drowsiness, unpleasant taste, and lung infections.
✓    Common: dry mouth, dizziness, and nausea.
✓    Less common: nervousness, vomiting, viral infections, anxiety, confusion, depression, hallucinations, reduced sex drive, rash, male breast e”k-aigement and/or pain, painful meR%k5UMlrjn, chest pain, migraines, and swelling of the arms or legs.
♦    Rare: Rare side effects can occur in almost any part of the body. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    Mixing eszopiclone with olanzapine can affect your coordination and ability to perform tasks.
•    Mixing eszopiclone with ketoconazole more than doubles blood levels of eszopiclone. Other drugs that may have a similar interaction include itraconazole, clarithromycin, nefazodone, troleandomycin, ritonavir, and nelfinavir.
•    Rifampin can be expected to drastically reduce the effectiveness of eszopiclone because it increases levels of liver enzymes that break down eszopiclone.
•    Avoid combining eszopiclone with alcohol and other nervous system depressants, including sedatives, narcotics, barbiturates, antidepressants, and antihistamines.
Food Interactions
For the most rapid and complete effect, take eszopiclone on an empty stomach at least 2 hours after a meal. It will take longer for eszopiclone to work if you have had a high-fat meal immediately before taking it.
Usual Dose
, abnormal dreaming, nery
Adult (q% 1% and over): 2-3 mg immediately before bedtime or after you are in bed and have trouble falling asleep. Eszopiclone can act very quickly.
Child (up to age 17): not recommended.
Senior: 1-2 mg immediately before bedtime.
People with liver disease: 1 mg.
Possible Side Effects (continued) Seniors
Some side effects are more com    the cluding dry mouth, pain, and unpleasant easant
♦    Most common: headache.
♦    Common: pain, dry mouth, diarrhea, rrhea, and upset
♦    Less common: accidental injury,
ousness, nerve pain, itching, and urinary• Rare: Rare side effects can occur in almost any part body. Contact your doctor if you
ou experience any side ef fect not listed above.
infection. of - , mon with larger doses in
Overdosage
Overdose can result in nervous system depression, from unconsciousness to light coma. Combining eszopiclone with alcohol or other nervous system depressants may be fatal or affect other body organs. One person took up to 36 mg of eszopiclone and fully recovered. Take the victim to a hospital emergency room at once. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Eszopiclone may cause tiredness, drowsiness, and an inability to concentrate. Be careful when driving or performing any task that requires concentration on the day following a dose. Make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep after taking eszopiclone.
People taking eszopiclone on a regular basis may develop a drug withdrawal reaction if the medication is stopped suddenly (see “Cautions and Warnings”).
Do not take a double dose of this medication.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Some animal studies with doses of eszopiclone up to 800 times the human equivalent showed it did not affect a developing fetus, and other studies showed some modest effects. However, there is no information on the use of eszopiclone in pregnant women. If your doctor considers eszopiclone crucial for you, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks.
It is not known if eszopiclone passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors, who are likely to be more sensitive to eszopiclone and its side effects, should start on a 1 -mg dose and take the lowest effective dosage.
Generic Name
Etanercept (eh-TAN-er-sept)
Brand Name Enbrel
Type of Drug
Immune system modulator.
Prescribed For
Rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriasis.
General Information
Etanercept binds to a specific protein in the body known as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and blocks it from interacting with cell surfaces. TNF is involved in normal inflammatory and immune responses and the inflammatory processes of rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions. Etanercept can also interfere with biological actions that are either caused or regulated by TNF.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not use etanercept if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
Serious infections and malignancies are possible in people using etanercept because of its ability to suppress the immune response. This may be more common in people with other conditions that predispose them to infections such as advanced or uncontrolled diabetes.
Levels of blood platelets and some white blood cells may be reduced in rare cases, leading to persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, and pale skin. Contact your doctor if any of these symptoms develop.
Etanercept may increase the risk of some nervous system disorders including multiple sclerosis.
Etanercept may cause or worsen congestive heart failure.
In rare cases people taking etanercept have developed a lupus-like syndrome which may disappear when the drug is discontinued.
People taking etanercept should not receive any live vaccines, because the body may not be able to respond as expected to the vaccine.
Possible Side Effects
RPndmt may develop at the site where etanercept is injected. Injection sites should be rotated among the thigh, abdomen, and upper arm to avoid excessive bruising or other skin damage.
Possible Side Effects (continued)
♦    Most common: infection, injection-site reactions, upper respiratory infection, headache, and runny nose.
♦    Common’. nausea, dizziness, sore throat. cough, weak-
ness, abdominal pain, rash, and respiratory problems.
♦    Less common: upset stomach, sinus irritation, vomiting.
swelling in the legs or feet, mouth sores, and hair loss.
✓    Rare: malignancy, stroke, seizure, tingling in the hands or feet, nervous system irritation similar to multiple sclerosis, eye inflammation, joint pain, generalized pain, appetite loss, blood vessel inflammation in the skin, dry eyes, lumps under the skin, fever, flu-like symptoms, weight gain, chest pain, flushing, diarrhea, taste changes, difficulty breathing, worsening of existing lung conditions, itching, and skin reactions. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    Do not mix etanercept in the same syringe as another drug.
•    Using etanercept with anakinra increases the risk of serious infections.
Food Interactions None known.
Usual Dose
Adult: rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis-50 mg a week. Plaque psoriasis: 50 mg twice a week, reducing to 50 mg a week after 3 months.
Child (age 4-17): 0.36 mg per lb. of body weight, up to 50 mg a week, 3-4 days apart.
Child (under age 4): not recommended.
Overdosage
In one study, ‘A patient accidentally self-administered 62 mg of etanercept twice a week for 3 weeks with no ill effects. Call your local poison control center or a hospital emergency room for more information. If you seek treatment, ALWAYS bring the prescription container.
Special Information
Etanercept is taken by injection under the skin. Be sure you understand how to measure the proper dose of etanercept and how
to self-inject it.
To mix and inject etanercept: Withdraw all the water supplied with the medicine into a syringe and slowly inject it into the vial containing etanercept. Swirl the mixture gently to avoid excess foaming in the vial. Do not shake the vial.
Do not combine etanercept with any other injectable drug. Etanercept may be stored in a refrigerator for up to 14 days after it is mixed.
Single-use pre-filled syringes must be refrigerated. Do not use past the provided expiration date.
If you forget to administer a dose, do so as soon as you remember. Remember that etanercept doses must be administered at least 3 days apart. Call your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about how to time your etanercept doses.
Special Populations
PregnancylBreast-feeding. The safety of using etanercept during pregnancy is not known. When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks.
It is not known if this drug passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take it should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors are more likely to develop infections while using etanercept.

Generic Name
Exemestane (ex-eh-MES-tane)
Bnj(kod WaYne Aromasin
Type of Drug  Aromatase inhibitor.
Prescribed For
Breast cancer. Also prescribed for prostate cancer prevention.
General Information     Some breast cancers depend on the presence of the hormone estrogen to stimulate their growth. Depriving these cancers of estrogen is an effective way of treating the condition. Exemestane significantly reduces the amount of estrogen in the blood by binding permanently to an enzyme called aromatase, an essential element in the conversion of androgen (male hormones) to estrogen in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. Exemestane does not affect other hormones in the body. Exemestane is broken down in the liver.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take exemestane if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
Exemestane may be prescribed for men and postmenopausal women only.
Possible Side Effects
✓    Most common: fatigue, hot flashes, pain, depression, sleeplessness, anxiety, nausea, and breathing difficulties.
✓    Common: flu-like symptoms, leg swelling, high blood pressure, dizziness, headache, vomiting, abdominal pain, leg swelling or other fluid retention, sweating, appetite loss, constipation, and coughing.
✓    Less common: increased appetite, diarrhea, fever, weakness, tingling in the hands or feet, broken bones, bronchitis, sinusitis, rash, itching, urinary infection, and swollen lymph glands.
♦    Rare: chest pain; confusion; reduced sensitivity to stimulation; upset stomach; joint, back, or other bone pain; respiratory infection; sore throat; runny nose; and hair loss. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    Estrogen-containing drugs reduce the effectiveness of exemestane. Do not combine these drugs.
• Rifampin, phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and St. John’s wort may potentially reduce the effectiveness of
exemestane.
Food Interactions
Take this drug with a meal. The amount of exemestane absorbed into the blood is increased by 40% when taken with a high-fat meal.
Usual Dose
Adult: 25 mg once a day with or just after a meal. Dose adjustment is not needed in people with kidney or liver disease. Child: not recommended.
Overdosage
Doses as large as 600 mg have been well tolerated by women with advanced breast cancer. Overdose victims should be taken to a hospital emergency room for evaluation and treatment. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
If you forget a dose, skip the forgotten dose and continue with your regular schedule. Contact your doctor if you skip more than one dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Exemestane is intended only for postmenopausal women. It can cause birth defects and miscarriage and should not be used by pregnant women or women who may become pregnant.
Exemestane may pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take it should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may take this drug without special precaution.

Generic Name
Exenatide (ex-EN-ah-tide)
Brand Name Byetta
7Vpe of Drug  Incretin mimetic.
Prescribed For  Type 2 diabetes.
General Information
Exenatide is a unique drug that improves blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes who have been unsuccessful with diabetes pills. It is added to existing therapy and does not replace other treatments. Exenatide has many of the same actions as GLP-1, a natural incretin hormone. It differs chemically and works differently from other diabetes medications, including insulin.
Exenatide begins working about 30 minutes after injection and continues to work for at least 8 hours. It helps the pancreas to release insulin into the blood in response to sugar levels, so insulin rises when blood sugar is high and declines as blood sugar declines. It reduces the production of a hormone called glucagon, which raises blood sugar. Exenatide also keeps food in the stomach longer, which in turn helps reduce the amount of sugar absorbed from dietary sources. Exenatide increases the number of beta cells (that produce insulin) in animals and may have the same effect in humans. This could help reduce the need for other medicines and improve diabetes control.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take exenatide if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
This drug is not a substitute for insulin. Exenatide has only been studied together with metformin, glitazones, and/or sulfonylureas. It has not been studied with other diabetes pills or insulin.
People with severe kidney disease should not use exenatide.
People with severe stomach or intestinal disease should not use exenatide.
Inflammation of the pancreas can occur with this drug. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fever, rapid pulse, and painful and swollen abdomen that may develop slowly and worsen when you eat or may be severe and constant.
Low blood sugar may ziccurit you are taking exenatide with a S\00ny)urea-type antidiabetes drug or with a glitazone.
Antibodies to exenatide may develop, but antibody levels generally go down with time. Most patients who develop antibodies still have good sugar control and similar types of side effects as people who do not develop exenatide antibodies.
Possible Side Effects
♦    Most common: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and low blood sugar (when mixed with a sulfonylurea-type drug or metformin plus a sulfonylurea).
♦    Less common: low blood sugar (when mixed with a glitazone), feeling jittery, dizziness, headache, and upset stomach.
✓    Rare: rash, abdominal swelling and pain, constipation, and kidney failure. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    Exenatide has been studied with a number of other medications commonly taken by people with diabetes (digoxin, lovastatin, lisinopril, and acetaminophen) and no significant interactions were noted.
•    Combining exenatide with a sulfonylurea-type drug may lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Your doctor may change your sulfonylurea dose to solve this problem.
•    Take all oral medicines at least 1 hour before you inject exenatide to ensure maximum absorption. If you must take oral drugs with food or meals, take them with a snack or meal when exenatide is not being injected. Exenatide extends the time that drugs remain in the stomach and may reduce the amount of medication absorbed when taken by mouth.
•    Exenatide may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptive pills. Take them at least 1 hour before an injection of exenatide.
•    Exenatide may increase the amount of warfarin in the body and increase the risk of bleeding.
Food Interactions
None known. Usual Dose
Adult: 5 or 10 mcg twice a day by subcutaneous injection %M)iT) an hour before breakfast and dk”"tj.
CAWVEOnafide has not been studied in children. Overdosage
The effects of an exenatide overdose are severe nausea, severe vomiting, and severe, rapid drops in blood sugar levels. An oral sugar source may help, but overdose victims should be taken to a hospital emergency room for evaluation and treatment. ALWAYS bring the exenatide pen with you.
Special Information
Each dose of exenatide must be given as an injection under the skin of the thigh, abdomen, or upper arm within 1 hour before your breakfast and dinner meals. For information on how to properly administer this drug, see page 1242.
If you forget a dose of exenatide, skip the dose you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Exenatide injection is clear and colorless. Do not use if it has any color, is cloudy, or if there are any particles floating in it.
Keep this drug in the refrigerator, and do not use it after the expiration date has passed.
This drug may lead to a loss of appetite and loss of body weight. Do not change your regular dosage if this happens to you.
Special Populations
PregnancylBreast-feeding. In animal studies using doses equal to 3 times the usual human dose, exenatide was shown to affect the growth of the fetus. If you are or might be pregnant and your doctor considers this drug crucial, its potential benefits must be weighed against its risks.
Small amounts of exenatide may pass into breast milk and may affect a nursing infant. Nursing mothers taking this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may take this drug without special restriction. Generic Name

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Generic Name
Dicyclomine (dih-SYE-kloe-meen) 10j
Brand Names
Bemote    Dilomine
Bentyl    Di-Spaz
Bycloft),e    Or-Tyl Dibent
Type of Drug
Antispasmodic and anticholinergic.
Prescribed For
Irritable bowel, spastic colon, and similar digestive problems; also prescribed for colic in children over age 6 months.
General Information
Dicyclomine hydrochloride has been used for many years to calm “nervous stomach.” It and other anticholinergics work by blocking the effects of the neurohormone acetylcholine in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This reduces the mobility of the GI tract and slows the production of enzymes and other secretions.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take dicyclomine if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients.
Dicyclomine should not be used by those with obstructive disease of the GI or urinary tract, severe ulcerative colitis, reflux esophagitis, acute bleeding with unstable heart function, myasthenia gravis, or glaucoma.
Dicyclomine should not be used in infants less than age 6 months or by breastfeeding mothers.
This drug should be used with caution if you have heart disease, Down’s syndrome, spastic paralysis, reduced mobility of the stomach and lower esophagus, fever, urinary difficulties, enlarged prostate, hiatal hernia, intestinal paralysis, kidney or liver disease, rapid heartbeat, hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland), high blood pressure, or ulcerative colitis.
Dicyclomine reduces your ability to sweat and may lead to heat exhaustion and heatstroke, which can be life-threatening. Avoid extended heavy exercise and limit your exposure to high temperatures.
Anticholinergenic psychosis has been reported by those taking anticholinergenics, but it usually resolves within 24 hours after discontinuation of the drug.
Possible Side EfferkS
♦ Common: dry mouth, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea, and lightheadedness.
V Less common: drowsiness, weakness, nervousness, constipation, and decreased sweating.
Possible Side Effects (continued)
♦ Rare: drug allergy (symptoms include rash, itching, lives,
and breathing difficulties), confusion, eye pain, dizziness
when rising quickly from a sitting or lying position, a bloated
feeling, difficult or painful urination, headache, memory
loss, and vomiting. Contact your doctor if you experience
any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    Antacids containing calcium or magnesium, citrates, sodium bicarbonate, and carbonic anhydrase inhibitor drugs may increase dicyclomine’s therapeutic effect and side effects.
•    Combining dicyclomine with other anticholinergic drugs including atropine, belladonna, clidinium, glycopyrrolate, hyoscyamine, isopropamide, propantheline, and scopolamine may intensify side effects.
•    Dicyclomine may reduce stomach acidity and blood levels of oral ketoconazole (an antifungal).
•    Dicyclomine may decrease the therapeutic effects of anti-glaucoma medications. Taking dicyclomine with corticosteroids used to treat glaucoma may be hazardous.
•    Dicyclomine may counteract the effect of metoclopramide in reducing nausea and vomiting.
•    Taking dicyclomine with a narcotic pain reliever may cause severe constipation.
•    Taking this or any drug that slows the movement of stomach and intestinal muscles with a potassium chloride supplement –especially one in wax-matrix tablet form—may lead to excessive irritation of the stomach.
•    Combining dicyclomine with amantadine, certain drugs to control heart rhythm, antihistamines, nitrates or nitrites, may increase dicyclomine side effects.
•    Dicyclomine may increase the effects of atenolol and digoxin.
•    Pftn0hiazine drugs, monoamine oxidase inhibitor antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and tricyclic antidepressants may increase side effects of dicyclomine. The effectiveness of phenothiazines to control psychotic symptoms may be decreased.
Food Interactions
Take dicyclomine on an empty stomach, a half hour before or 2 hours after a meal.
Usual Dose
Adult: 80-160 mg a day in 4 divided doses. Seniors should receive the lowest possible dosage and increase only as needed. Child (age 2 and over): 5-10 mg 3-4 times a day.
Child (age 6 months-2 years): 5-10 mg of syrup 3-4 times a day. Child (under 6 months): not recommended.
Overdosage
Symptoms include blurred vision; clumsiness; confusion; breathing difficulties; dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth, nose, or throat; rapid heartbeat; fever; hallucinations; weakness; slurred speech; excitement, restlessness, or irritability; warmth; and dry or flushed skin. Take the victim to a hospital emergency room at once. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Children taking dicyclomine may be more likely to develop high body temperature in hot weather and other side effects and should be carefully watched for side effects. Dicyclomine should not be given to infants or children unless the doctor decides that its use is absolutely necessary.
Call your doctor if you develop diarrhea, rash, flushing, eye pain, dry mouth, urinary difficulties, constipation, increased sensitivity to light, or any bothersome or persistent side effect.
Brush and floss your teeth regularly while taking this drug. Because dicyclomine may cause dry mouth, you may be more likely to develop cavities or other dental problems. Ice or hard candy may relieve dry mouth.
Constipation may be treated by using a laxative.
Dicyclomine may make you drowsy or tired and cause blurred vision. Be careful when driving or doing any task that requires concentration.
If you forget take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: A few cases of human malformation were linked to dicyclomine, but studies have shown that the drug has no effect on the fetus. When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks.
Dicyclomine can reduce the amount of milk produced. Infants given dicyclomine may faint, go limp, and develop breathing problems and seizures. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may be more susceptible to side effects, especially memory loss, changes in mental state, and glaucoma. Seniors may obtain maximum benefit with smaller dosages.

Generic Name
Digoxin (dih-JOX-in) A
Brand Names Digitek
Lanoxicaps
Lanoxin
Type of Drug  Cardiac glycoside.
Prescribed For
Congestive heart failure (CHF) and other heart conditions involving a very rapid heartbeat.
General Information
Digoxin works directly on heart muscle. It improves the heart’s pumping ability or helps to control its beating rhythm. People with heart failure often develop swelling of the lower legs, feet, and ankles; digoxin improves these symptoms by improving blood cir-
Digoxin is generally used as part of the lifelong treatment of CHF.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not use digoxin if you are allergic or sensitive to it. Digoxin allergies are rare.
Digoxin should not be used in people with ventricular fibril-
lation.
Digoxin should be used with caution in people with sick sinus
syndrome or incomplete AV block, as it may cause a worsening of these conditions.
Digoxin has been used to treat obesity. The risk of fatal heart rhythms associated with such treatment makes it extremely dangerous as weight-loss medication. Many heart disease symptoms may be associated with digoxin. Report any unusual side effects to your doctor at once.
Kidney disease may increase blood levels of digoxin. Your dosage may need adjustment.
Long-term use of digoxin may cause the body to lose potassium, especially since it is generally used in combination with diuretics (agents that increase urination). For this reason, be sure to eat a balanced diet and high-potassium foods—bananas, citrus fruits, melons, and tomatoes.
Digoxin should be used with caution in people with electrolyte disorders.
Digoxin requirements vary with thyroid status. If you are taking digoxin and your thyroid status changes, your doctor will have to alter your digoxin dosage.
Possible Side Effects
Adult and Senior
♦    Common: dizziness, headache, nausea, and diarrhea.
✓    Less common: appetite loss, vomiting, weakness, apathy, drowsiness, blurred or yellow-tinted vision, seeing halos around bright lights, depression, psychoses, confusion or disorientation, restlessness, hallucinations, delirium, seizure, nerve pain, abnormal heart rhythms, and slow pulse.
✓    Rare: Enlargement of the breasts has been reported after long-term use of digoxin. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Child
T Children are more likely to develop abnormal heart rhythms before they see yellow or green halos or spots and before they develop nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain. Any abnormal heart rhythms that develop while a child is taking digoxin should be assumed to be a side effect.
Drug Interactions
•    Drugs that may increase the effect of digoxin are alprazolam, amiloride aminoglycoside antibiotics, amiodarone, anticholinergic drugs, benzodiazepines, captopril, clarithromycin, diltiazem, diphenoxylate, dipyridamole, erythromycin, esmolol, felodipine, flecainide, hydroxychloroquine, ibuprofen, indomethacin, itraconazole, nifedipine, nitrendipine, omeprazole, propafenone, propantheline, quinidine, quinine, spironolactone, tetracycline, tolbutamide, triamterene, and verapamil.
•    Drugs that may decrease blood levels of digoxin include aminoglutethimide, aminoglycosides, aminosalicylic acid, antacids, anti-cancer combinations, antidiabetes medication, antihistamines, barbiturates, cholestyramine, colestipol, cyclosporine, kaolin-pectin mixtures, metoclopramide, oral kanamycin, oral neomycin, oral sulfonylureas, phenylbutazone, phenytoin and related anti-seizure drugs, rifampin, St. John’s wort, sucralfate, and sulfasalazine.
•    Disopyramide may alter the effects of digoxin, although the exact interaction is not well understood.
•    Thiazide and loop diuretics, furosemide, ethacrynic acid, and bumetanide increase digoxin’s effect and increase the risk of side effects.
•    Spironolactone may increase or decrease the side effects of digoxin; amiloride may reduce the effect of digoxin on the force of heart contraction.
•    The effects of digoxin on the heart may be additive to those of ephedrine, epinephrine and other stimulants, beta blockers, calcium salts, procainamide, and rauwolfia drugs.
•    Digoxin dosage must be adjusted when it is combined with a thyroid drug.
Food Interactions
These drugs may generally be taken without regard to meals. Taking your medication after a high-fiber meal reduces the amourxtcil drug absorbed into your blood.
Usual OQSS
Adult and Child (age 10 and over): starting dosage—known as the digitalizing or loading dose—is about 4-7 mcg per lb. of body weight. Digitalization may also be accomplished with a lower dosage over 7 days. Maintenance dosage    0.125-0.5 mg; it must be corrected for kidney function. For seniors, a lower dosage is required.
Child (under age 1o): starting dosage-5-30 mcg per lb. of body weight. Maintenance dosage-20-35% of the starting dosage. Careful measurement of your child’s digoxin dosage is crucial to safe and effective treatment.
Overdosage
Adult: Symptoms include appetite loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, weakness, apathy, blurred vision, yellow or green spots or halos before the eyes, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, and changes in heartbeat.
Senior: Vomiting, diarrhea, and eye trouble are frequently seen. Child: An early sign is a change in heart rhythms.
Call your doctor immediately if any of these symptoms appear. Take the victim to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Take each day’s dose at the same time of day.
Do not stop taking digoxin without your doctor’s knowledge.
Lanoxicaps are better absorbed than tablet forms of digoxin. For this reason, each dose of Lanoxicaps is slightly lower than the corresponding digoxin tablet.
Avoid over-the-counter diet and cold medications containing stimulants.
Call your doctor at once if you develop side effects.
There may by some variation between digoxin tablets from different manufacturers. Do not change drug brands without telling your doctor.
Check your pulse every day—your doctor will teach you how—and call your doctor if it drops below 60 beats per minute.
If you forget a dose and remember at least 12 hours before your next dose, take it right away. If you do not remember until it is less than 12 hours before your next dose, skip the one you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do “lot take a double dose. Call your doctor if you M1 a dose for 2 or more days.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Digoxin crosses into the fetal circulation. While digoxin is sometimes used during pregnancy to treat fetal heart disease, women who are or might be pregnant should not take digoxin without their doctor’s approval. When your doc-tor considers this drug crucial, its potential benefits must be care-
fully weighed against its risks.
Small amounts of digoxin pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who take digoxin should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors are more sensitive to digoxin’s effects, especially appetite loss. Seniors with impaired renal function may need lower
dosages.

Generic Name
Diltiazem (dil-TYE-uh-zem) 92
Brand Names
Cardizem    Dilt-CD
Cardizem CD    Diltia XT
Cardizem LA    Diltzac
Cartia XT    Taztia XT
Dilator XR    Tiazac
Type of Drug
Calcium channel blocker.
Prescribed For
Angina pectoris, chronic stable angina, Raynaud’s disease, prevention of second heart attacks, tardive dyskinesia (severe side effects associated with antipsychotic and other drugs), and hypertension (high blood pressure).
General Information
Diltiazem hydrochloride is one of many calcium channel blockers available in the U.S. These drugs block the passage of calcium, an essential factor in muscle contraction, into the heart and smooth muscles. Such blockage of calcium interferes with the contraction of these muscles, which in turn dilates (widens) the veins and ves sels that supply blood to them. This ditatk”q effect reduces blood pressure, the amount 0 Oxygen used by the heart muscle, and the ~1A 0 blood vessel spasm. Diltiazem is therefore useful in treating not only hypertension but also angina pectoris, a condition related to poor oxygen supply to the heart muscle and characterized by brief attacks of chest pain.
Diltiazem affects the movement of calcium only into muscle cells; it has no effect on calcium in the blood.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take d,1taz&m1f you are allergic or sensitive to any of its
ingredients.
Diltiazem can slow your heart and interfere with normal electrical conduction. For people with a condition called sick sinus syndrome, this can result in temporary heart stoppage.
Diltiazem should not be taken if you are having a heart attack or if you have lung congestion. Diltiazem should be taken with caution by people with heart failure because it can worsen that condition.
Low blood pressure may occur, especially in people also taking a beta blocker.
Studies have shown that people taking calcium channel blockers—usually those taken several times a day, not those taken once daily—have a greater chance of having a heart attack than people taking beta blockers or another medicine for the same purposes. Discuss this with your doctor to be sure you are receiving the best possible treatment.
Diltiazem can cause severe liver damage and should be taken with caution if you have had hepatitis or any other liver condition.
Caution should also be exercised if you have a history of kidney problems, although no clear tendency toward causing kidney damage is seen with this drug.
Possible Side Effects
♦    Common: dizziness, lightheadedness, weakness, head-
ache, and fluid accumulation in the hands, legs, or feet.
✓    Less common: low blood pressure, fainting, increase or decrease in heart rate, abnormal heart rhythm, heart failure, nervousness, fatigue, nausea, rash, tingling in the hands or feet, hallucinations, temporary memory loss, difficulty sleeping, diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, upset stomach, itching, unusual sensitivity to sunlight, paxnlu) or stiff joints, liver inflammation, and increased urination, especially at night.
Drug Interactions
•    Diltiazem taken with a beta-blocking drug for hypertension is usually well tolerated, but may lead to heart failure in people with already weakened hearts.
•    Calcium channel blockers, including diltiazem, may add to
the effects of digoxin. This effect is not observed with any
consistency, however, and only affects people with a large
amount of digoxin already in their systems.
•    Cimetidine and ranitidine increase the amount of diltiazem in the bloodstream and may account for a slight increase in the drug’s effect.
•    Diltiazem may increase blood levels of cyclosporine, carbamazepine, encainide, and theophylline, and thus increase the chance of side effects from these drugs.
•    Diltiazem may cause a decrease in blood lithium levels, possibly undermining lithium’s antimanic effect.
•    Calcium channel blockers may cause bleeding when taken alone or combined with aspirin.
Food Interactions
Diltiazem is best taken on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals.
Usual Dose
Immediate-Release Products 30-60 mg 4 times a day.
Sustained-Release/Extended-Release Products Cardizem CD: 120-480 mg once a day. Cardizem LA: 120-540 mg once a day. Cartia XT: 120-300 mg once a day. Dilacor XR: 180-480 mg once a day. Dilt-CD: 120-360 mg once a day. Diltia XT: 180-480 mg once a day. Diltzac: 120-360 mg once a day. Taztia XT: 120-150 mg once a day. Tiazac: 120-360 mg once a day.
Overdosage
Symptoms of diltiazem overdose are very low blood pressure and reduced heart rate. Overdose victims must be made to vomit with 1J)8C2c syrup—available at any pharmacy—within 30 minutes of taking the overdose. Do not induce vomiting if the victim has fainted or is convulsing. If overdose symptoms have developed or more than 30 minutes have passed, vomiting is of little value. Take the victim to a hospital emergency room immediately. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special information
Call your doctor if you develop any of the following symptoms! swelling of the hands, legs, or feet-, severe dizziness; constipation or nausea; or very low blood pressure.
Do not open, chew, or crush sustained-release capsules of
diltiazem.
If you take your diltiazem 3 or 4 times a day and forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. Space the remaining doses throughout the rest of the day. If you take diltiazem 1 or 2 times a day and forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the one you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Never take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: In animal studies. high doses of diltiazem interfered with the development of the fetus. Diltiazem should not be taken by women who are or might be pregnant. When your doctor considers this drug crucial, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks.
Because diltiazem passes into breast milk, nursing mothers taking this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may be more sensitive to the effects of this drug because it takes longer to pass out of their bodies.

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Generic Name
Clarithromycin (klah-rith-roe-MYE-sin) 91
Brand Names Biaxin
Type of Drug  Macrolide antibiotic.
Biaxin XL
Prescribed For
Mild to moderate infections of the upper and lower respiratory tract, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis, exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, middle-ear infections, and for duodenal ulcers; also used for skin and other infections, including membrane attack complex (MAC) in people with advanced HIV infection.
General Information
Clarithromycin and other macybYide antibiotics are either bacteri(;((JW (’UaCkeeia-killing) or bacteriostatic (inhibiting bacterial growth), depending on the organism in question and amount of antibiotic present. In ulcer disease, clarithromycin is used to fight Helicobacter pylori infection, which is present in almost all ulcers and most cases of stomach inflammation.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take clarithromycin if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients or to any macrolide antibiotic.
Clarithromycin should not be used during pregnancy.
Clarithromycin is primarily eliminated from the body through the liver and kidneys. People with severe kidney disease may require dose adjustments. Liver disease generally does not require an adjustment.
Colitis (bowel inflammation) has been associated with all antibiotics (see “Possible Side Effects”). If colitis does develop, your doctor should start appropriate treatment. Mild cases of colitis usually respond to the discontinuation of the medicine.
Possible Side Effects
Most side effects are mild and go away once you stop taking clarithromycin.
✓    Most common: nausea, upset stomach, changes in sense of taste, headache, he. diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, and rash in children. Colitis (symptoms include severe abdominal cramps and severe, persistent, and possibly bloody diarrhea) may develop.
✓    Rare: serious abnormal heart rhythms. Contact your doc-
tor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    Clarithromycin may increase the anticoagulant (blood-thinning) effects of warfarin in people who take it regularly, especially older adults. This combination requires careful monitoring by your doctor.
•    Do not combine clarithromycin with astemizole or terfenadine.
•    Combining clarithromycin and omeprazole raises the amount of both drugs in the blood.
•    Two deaths have been reported in people combining Oarithromycin and pimozidp_ ?imuiide should not be used by peibp)e faking a macrolide antibiotic.
•    Clarithromycin may raise blood levels of theophylline, possibly leading to a theophylline overdose. It can also increase the effects of caffeine.
•    Combining clarithromycin and digoxin, cyclosporine, ergot
alkaloids, or tacrolimus may lead to serious side effects.

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Generic Name
Cimetidine (sih-MET-ih-dene)
Brand
Tagamet    Tagamet HB 91
Type of Drug  Histamine H2 antagonist.
Prescribed For
Ulcers of the stomach and duodenum (upper intestine); also used for upset stomach, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), benign stomach ulcer, bleeding in the stomach and duodenum, colorectal cancer, prevention of stress ulcer, hyperparathyroidism, fungal infections of the hair and scalp, herpes virus infection, excessive hairiness in women, chronic itching of unknown cause, skin reactions, warts, acetaminophen overdose, and other conditions characterized by the production of large amounts of gastric fluids. Cimetidine may be prescribed to stop the production of stomach acid during surgery.
General Information
Histamine H2 antagonists work by turning off the system that produces stomach acid and other secretions. Cimetidine is effective in treating the symptoms of ulcer and preventing complications of the disease, although an ulcer that does not respond to another histamine H2 antagonist will probably not respond to cimetidine. Histamine H2 antagonists differ only in their potency. Cimetidine is the least potent; 1000 mg are roughly equal to 300 mg of either nizatidine or ranitidine, or 40 mg of famotidine. These drugs are roughly equal in their ability to treat ulcer disease and their risk of side effects.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take cimetidine if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients or any histamine H2 antagonist. Cimetidine has a mild antiandrogen effect, which probably causes the painful, swollen breasts that some people experience after taking this drug for a month or more.
People with kidney or liver disease should take cimetidine with caution because 1/3 of each dose is broken down in the liver and passes out of the body through the kidneys.
Do not self-treat with over-the-counter forms of cimetidine without the advice and supervision of your doctor.
The fact that symptalleviated by cimetidine does not dude the possibility of stomach cancer, which can have symptoms similar to other gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Make sure your doctor screens for possible malignancy.
these symptoms stop 3-4 days after discontinuing the drug. Call your doctor if this happens to you.
Possible Side Effects
Serious side effects are uncommon.
♦    Most common: mild diarrhea, dizziness, rash, painful breast swelling, nausea and vomiting, headache, confusion, drowsiness, hallucinations, and impotence.
♦    Less common: liver inflammation, peeling or red and swollen rash, breathing difficulties, tingling in the hands or feet, delirious feelings, and oozing from the nipples.
✓    Rare: Cimetidine may affect white blood cells or blood platelets. Some symptoms of these effects are unusual bleeding or bruising, unusual tiredness, and weakness. Other rare side effects are inflammation of the pancreas, hair loss (reversible), abnormal heart rhythms, heart attack, muscle or joint pains, and drug reactions. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    Separate cimetidine from antacid doses by about 3 hours to avoid reducing cimetidine’s effectiveness. Other drugs that may reduce the absorption of cimetidine are metoclopramide and anticholinergic drugs, including trihexyphenidyl hydrochloride, oxybutynin, and benztropine mesylate.
•    Cigarette smoking reverses the healing effect cimetidine has on ulcers.
•    Cimetidine may increase the side effects of a variety of drugs, possibly leading to drug toxicity. These drugs include alcohol; aminophylline; oral antidiabetes drugs; benzodiazepine sedatives, except lorazepam, oxazepam, and temazepam; caffeine; calcium channel blockers; carbamweoine; carmustine; chloroquine; tkeCaiTAe; fluorouracil; labetalol; lidoQa« , Tneloprolol; metronidazole; moricizine; mexiletine; narcotic pain relievers; nifedipine; ondansetron; pentoxifylline; phenytoin; procainamide; propafenone; propranolol; quinine; quinidine; tacrine; theophylline drugs, except clyphylline: triamterene; tricyclic antidepressants; valproic acid; and warfarin (a blood-thinner).
•    Drugs whose absorption may be decreased by cimetidine are iron, indomethacin, fluconazole, ketoconazole, and tetra-
cycline antibiotics.
•    Enteric-coated tablets should not be taken with cimetidine. The change in stomach acidity causes the tablets to disin-
tegrate prematurely in the stomach.
•    cimetidine may decrease the effects of digoxin and tocainide.
Food Interactions
None known.
Usual Dose
Adult: 400-800 mg at bedtime; 300 mg 4 times a day with meals and at bedtime; or 400 mg twice a day. To treat GERD-400 mg 4 times a day. Do not exceed 2400 mg a day. Users of Tagamet HB should not take more than 400 mg a day. Smaller doses may be as effective for seniors or those with impaired kidney function.
Overdosage
Little is known about the effects of cimetidine overdose, but victims may experience exaggerated side effects. Two deaths have occurred. Your local poison control center may advise giving ipecac syrup—available at any pharmacy—to induce vomiting and remove any drug remaining in the stomach. Victims who have definite symptoms should be taken to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Take cimetidine exactly as directed and follow your doctor’s instructions regarding diet and other treatment in order to get the maximum benefit from the drug.
Do not take the maximum dose continuously for more than 2 weeks without the consent and supervision of your doctor.
Cigarette smoking is associated with stomach ulcers and reduces cimetidine’s effectiveness.
Call your doctor at once if you develop any unusual side effects such as bleeding or bruisiiAg, tiredness, diarrhea, dizziness, rash, 131 NMbdinations. Black, tarry stools or vomiting material that resembles coffee grounds may indicate your ulcer is bleeding.
If you miss a dose of cimetidine, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Animal studies reveal no damage to the fetus, although cimetidine does pass into the fetal blood. When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks.
Large amounts of cimetidine pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take this drug should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors may need less medication due to loss of kidney function and be more susceptible to side effects, especially confusion and other nervous system effects (see “Cautions and Warnings”).

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Generic Name
Cholestyramine (kol-es-TYE-rah-meen) 0
Brand Names
LoCHOLEST    Questran
LoCHOLEST Light    Questran Light Prevalite
The information in this profile also applies to the following drugs:
Generic Ingredient: Colesevelam Hydrochloride WelChol
Generic Ingredient: Colestipol Hydrochloride Colestid
Type of Drug
Anti -hyperli pidemic (blood-fat reducer).
Prescribed For
High blood-cholesterol levels; generalized itching associated with bile duct obstruction—cholestyramine only; colitis; digitalis or thyroid overdose; and pesticide poisoning.
General Information
Cholestyramine resin lowers blood-cholesterol levels by absorbing bile acids in the bowel. Since the body uses cholesterol to make the bile acids—needed to digest fat—fat digestion can only continue by making more bile acid from blood cholesterol. This results in lower blood-cholesterol levels 4-7 days after starting cholestyramine.
Cholestyramine w3Cks entirely Within the bowel and is never absorbed into the bloodstream. Though usually given 3-4 times a day, there appears to be no advantage to taking it more often than twice a day. The cholesterol-lowering effect of cholestyramine may be increased when it is taken with an HMG-CoA inhibitor or nicotinic acid. In some kinds of hyperlipidemia, colestipol may be more effective in lowering total blood cholesterol than clofibrate.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not use cholestyramine if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients or if your bile duct is blocked. The powder form should not be taken dry; doing so may result in the inhalation of powder into your lungs or a clogged esophagus.
If you are being treated for hypothyroidism, diabetes, kidney or blood vessel disorder, obstructive liver disease, or alcholism, consult your doctor before taking cholestyramine.
Cholestyramine may cause or worsen constipation and hemorrhoids. Most constipation is mild, but some people may need to stop the medication or take less of it.
Possible Side Effects
✓    Most common: constipation, which may be severe and in rare cases result in bowel impaction. Hemorrhoids may be worsened.
♦    Less common: abdominal pain and bloating, and bleeding disorders or black-and-blue marks due to interference with the absorption of vitamin K, a necessary factor in the blood clotting process. One person developed night-blindness because the medication interfered with vitamin A absorption into the blood. Other side effects include belching, gas, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, heartburn, and appetite loss. Your stool may have an unusual appearance because of a high fat level.
✓    Rare: Rare side effects can affect your mouth, stomach and intestines, muscles and joints, mental status, urinary tract, and breathing. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
O    Cholestyramine interferes with the absorption of virtually all oral drugs, including acetaminophen, amiodarone, aspirin, cephalexin, chenodiol, clindamycin, clofibrate, contraceptive drugs, corticosteroids, diclofenac, iopanoic acid, iron, digitalis drugs, furosemide, gemfibrozil, glipizide, hydrocortisone, imipramine (an antidepressant), methyldopa, mycophenolate, nicotinic acid, penicillin, phenobarbital, phenytoin, piroxicam, propranolol, tetracycline, thiazide diuretics, thyroid drugs, tolbutamide, trimethoprim, ursodiol, warfarin and other anticoagulant (blood-thinning) drugs, and vitamins A, D, E, and K. Take other medications at least 1 hour before or 4-6 hours after taking cholestyramine.
Food Interactions
Take this medication before meals. The powder may be mixed with soda, water, juice, cereal, or pulpy fruits, such as applesauce or crushed pineapple. Cholestyramine bars should be thoroughly chewed and taken with plenty of fluids. Colestipol pills are swallowed whole.
Usual Dose
Cholestyramine: 4 g (1 packet) or 1 level scoopful taken 1-2 times a day or up to 6 times a day.
Colesevelam: 6 tablets once a day or in 2 divided doses. Colestipol: 2-16 g (1-6 packets) once a day or in divided doses.
Overdosage
The most severe effect of overdose is obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract. Take the overdose victim to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Do not swallow the granules or powder in their dry form. Prepare each packet of powder by mixing it with soup, cereal, or pulpy fruit or by adding the powder to a 6-oz. glass of liquid, such as a carbonated beverage. If some of the drug sticks to the sides of the glass, rinse it with liquid and drink the remainder.
Constipation, gas, nausea, and heartburn may occur and then disappear with continued use of this medication. If constipation is a problem, your doctor may recommend drinking more fluids and taking a fiber supplement. Call your doctor if these side effects persist or if you develop unusual problems such as bleeding from the gums or rectum.
If you miss a dose of cholestyramine, skip it and continue with your regular scheduke. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: While cholestyramine does not affect the fetus directly, it may prevent the absorption of vitamins A, D, and E and other nutrients essential to the fetus’ proper development–even when you take, a prenatal vitamin supplement.
When this drug is considered crucial by your doctor, its potential benefits must be carefully weighed against its risks.
Cholestyramine is not absorbed into the body. However, reduced absorption of vitamins A, D, and E and other nutrients may make your milk less nutritious. Nursing mothers who must take cholestyramine should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors are more likely to experience side effects, especially those relating to the bowel.

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Generic Name
Chlorzoxazone (klor-M-uh-zone)
Brand Names
Parafon Forte DSC    Strifon Forte DSC
Type of Drug
Skeletal muscle relaxant.
Prescribed For
Pain and spasm of muscular conditions, including strain, sprain, bruising, and lower back problems.
General Information
Chlorzoxazone works primarily on the spinal cord level and on the brain, acting as a mild sedative. This results in fewer spasms, less pain, and greater mobility. Chlorzoxazone provides only temporary relief and is not a substitute for other types of therapy, such as rest, surgery, and physical therapy.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take chlorzoxazone if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients, or if you have a condition known as porphyria.
People with poor liver or kidney function should take this drug with caution because serious liver toxicity has rarely occurred in people using chlorzoxazone.
Chlorzoxazone may interact with other drugs that cause nervous system depression (see “Drug Interactions”).
Because it is possible to become dependent on this drug, people with a history of substance abuse should take chlorzoxazone with caution.
Possible Side Effects
♦    Most common: dizziness, drowsiness, lightheadedness, malaise, and aveTStimulation,
♦    Less common: headache, stomach cramps or pain, diar-
rhea, constipation, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting.
•    Rare: internal bleeding, liver problems, severe allergic-type skin reactions, and breathing problems. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
• The depressive effects of chlorzoxazone may be enhanced by taking it with alcohol, sedatives, sleeping pills, or other nervous system depressants. Avoid these combinations.
Food Interactions
Take this drug with food if it upsets your stomach. The tablets may be crushed and mixed with food.
Usual Dose
Adult: 250-750 mg 3-4 times a day. Child: 125-500 mg 3-4 times a day.
Do not take more medication than is prescribed.
Overdosage
Early signs of chlorzoxazone overdose may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, dizziness, lightheadedness, and headache. Victims may also feel sluggish or sickly and lose the ability to move their muscles. Breathing may become slow or irregular, and blood pressure may drop. Contact a doctor immediately or go to a hospital emergency room for treatment. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Chlorzoxazone may make you drowsy or reduce your ability to concentrate. Be extremely careful while driving or operating hazardous equipment. Avoid alcoholic beverages.
Chlorzoxazone may turn your urine orange to purple-red; this is not dangerous.
Call your doctor if you develop drowsiness, weakness, an allergic reaction, skin rash or itching, breathing difficulties, black or tarry stools, vomiting of material that resembles coffee grounds, liver problems, or any other severe or bothersome side effect.
4f you miss a dose of chlorzoxazone by more than an hour, skip the dose you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: The safety of chlorzoxazone in pregnant women has not been established. Pregnant women should only take chlorzoxazone after carefully weighing its potential benefits against its risks.
It is not known if chlorzoxazone passes into breast milk. Nursing mothers should consider using infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors, especially those with severe liver disease, are more sensitive to the effects of chlorzoxazone.

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Generic Name
Chlordiazepoxide (klor-dye-az-uh-PDX-ide) 91
Brand Name
Librium
Type of Drug  Benzodiazepine sedative.
Prescribed For
Anxiety, tension, fatigue, agitation, and withdrawal symptoms of alcoholism; also prescribed for irritable bowel syndrome and panic attacks.
General Information
Chlordiazepoxide is a member of the group of drugs known as benzodiazepines.
Benzodiazepines work by a direct effect on the brain. They can relax you and make you more tranquil or sleepier, or they can slow nervous system transmissions in such a way as to act as an anticonvulsant. Many doctors prefer benzodiazepines to other drugs that can be used to similar effect because they tend to be safer, have fewer side effects, and are usually as effective, if not more so.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take chlordiazepoxide if you are allergic or sensitive to any of its ingredients or to another benzodiazepine, including clonazepam.
Chlordiazepoxide can aggravate narrow-angle glaucoma, but you may take it if you have open-angle glaucoma and are receiving therapy for it.
Other condkjo(\SiVN\,NhjCb chlordiazepoxide should be used with caution are severe depression, especially with suicidal tendencies, severe lung disease, sleep apnea (intermittent cessation of breathing during sleep), liver disease, drunkenness, and kidney disease.
Chlordiazepoxide should not be taken by psychotic patients because it is not effective for them and can trigger unusual excitement, stimulation, and rage. It has also produced similar reactions among hyperactive and aggressive pediatric patients.
Chlordiazepoxide is not intended for more than 3-4 months of continuous use. Your condition should be reassessed before continuing chlordiazepoxide beyond that time.
Chlordiazepoxide may be addictive. Drug withdrawal may develop if you stop taking it after only 4 weeks of regular use, but is more likely after longer use. It may start with anxiety and progress to tingling in the hands or feet, sensitivity to bright light, sleep disturbances, cramps, tremors, muscle tension or twitching, poor concentration, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, appetite loss, sweating, and changes in mental state.
Dosage of chlordiazepoxide should be decreased gradually over 4-8 weeks after prolonged use.
Possible Side Effects
Weakness and confusion may occur, especially in seniors and in those who are sickly.
♦    Most common: mild drowsiness during the first few days of therapy.
✓    Less common: depression, lethargy, disorientation, edema, headache, inactivity, slurred speech, stupor, dizziness, tremor, constipation, dry mouth, nausea, inability to control urination, sexual difficulties, irregular menstrual cycle, changes in heart rhythm, low blood pressure, fluid retention, blurred or double vision, itching, rash, hiccups, nervousness, inability to fall asleep, and occasional liver - dysfunction. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop taking the medicine and contact your doctor immediately.
♦    Rare: Rare side effects can occur in almost any part of the body. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    Chlordiazepoxide is a central-nervous-system depressant. Avoid alcohol, other sedatives, narcotics, barbiturates, mono-amine oxidase inhibitor and other antidepressants, and antihistamines. Taking chlordiazepoxide with these drugs may result in excessive depression, tiredness, sleepiness, breathing difficulties, or related symptoms.
•    Smoking may reduce the effectiveness of chlordiazepoxide by increasing the rate at which it is broken down by the body.
•    The effects of chlordiazepoxide may be prolonged when it is
taken with cimetidine, contraceptive drugs, disulfiram, flu-
oxetine, isoniazid, ketoconazole, metoprolol, probenecid,
propoxyphene, propranolol, rifampin, or valproic acid.
•    Theophylline may reduce chlordiazepoxide’s sedative effects.
•    If you take antacids, separate them by at least 1 hour from your chlordiazepoxide dose to prevent them from interfering with the passage of chlordiazepoxide into the bloodstream.
•    Chlordiazepoxide may increase blood levels of digoxin and the chances for digoxin toxicity.
•    Levodopa + carbidopa’s effectiveness may be reduced by chlordiazepoxide.
•    Phenytoin blood concentrations may be increased when taken with chlordiazepoxide, resulting in possible phenytoin toxicity.
Food Interactions
Chlordiazepoxide is best taken on an empty stomach but may be taken with food if it upsets your stomach.
Usual Dose
Adult: 5-100 mg a day. This range is due to individual response related to age, weight, disease severity, and other characteristics.
Child (age 6 and over): may be given if deemed appropriate by a doctor. Starting dose-5 mg 2-4 times a day. Maintenance dose—up to 30 mg a day for some children, but must be individualized to obtain maximum benefit.
Child (under age 6): not recommended.
Overdosage
Symptoms of overdose are confusion, sleepiness, poor coordination, lack of response to pain such as a pin prick, loss of reflexes, shallow breathing, low blood pressure, and coma. The victim should be lakes to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Chlordiazepoxide can cause tiredness, drowsiness, inability to concentrate, or similar symptoms. Be careful if you are driving, operating machinery, or performing other activities that require concentration.
If you forget a dose of chlordiazepoxide, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Chlordiazepoxide may cause birth defects if taken during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Avoid chlordiazepoxide while pregnant.
Chlordiazepoxide may pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take chlordiazepoxide should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors, especially those with liver or kidney disease, are more sensitive to the effects of chlordiazepoxide and generally require smaller doses to achieve the same effect.

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Generic Name
Alprazolam (al-PRAY-zoe-lam) CGI
Brand Names
Niravam    Xanax    Xanax XR Type of Drug
Benzodiazepine sedative.
Prescribed For
Generalized anxiety disorder and anxiety associated with depression; panic disorder with or without agoraphobia.
General Information
Alprazolam is a member of a group :)f drugs known as benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines directly affect the brain. They can relax you and make you more tranquil or sleepier, or they can slow nervous system transmissions in such a way as to act as an anticonvulsant. Many doctors prefer benzodiazepines to other drugs that can be used to similar effect because they tend to be safer, have fewer side effects, and are usually as effective, if not more so.

Cautions and Warnings
Do not take alprazolam if you know you are allergic or sensitive to it or to another benzodiazepine drug, including clonazepam.
Alprazolam can aggravate narrow-angle glaucoma, but you may take it if you have open-angle glaucoma and are receiving therapy for it.
Other conditions where alprazolam should be avoided are: severe lung disease, sleep apnea (intermittent cessation of breathing during sleep), liver disease, drunkenness, and kidney disease. In each of these conditions, the depressive effects of alprazolam may be enhanced or could be detrimental to your overall condition.
Alprazolam should not be taken by psychotic patients because it is not effective for them and can trigger unusual excitement, stimulation, and rage.
Alprazolam is meant to be used for no more than 3-4 months in a row. Your condition should be reassessed before continuing your medicine beyond that time.
Alprazolam may be addictive. When used to treat panic disorder, alprazolam is frequently prescribed in doses exceeding 4 mg a day. Studies show that these higher doses may cause physical and emotional dependence, making it very difficult to stop taking the drug. Drug withdrawal may develop if you stop taking it after only 4 weeks of regular use but is more likely after longer use and at higher doses. It may start with anxiety and progress to tingling in the hands or feet, sensitivity to bright light, sleep disturbances, cramps, tremors, muscle tension or twitching, poor concentration, flu-like symptoms, fatigue, appetite loss, sweating, and changes in mental state. Severe withdrawal symptoms may include seizures.
Your dosage should be reduced gradually (0.5 mg decrease every 3 days) to prevent drug withdrawal symptoms.
Possible Side Effects
V Most common: mild drowsiness during the first few days of therapy. Weakness and confusion may occur, especially in seniors and in those who are sickly. If these effects persist, contact your doctor.
V Less common: depression, lethargy, disorientation, headache, inactivity, slurred speech, stupor, dizziness, tremors, constipation, dry mouth, nausea, inabilityto control urination, Possible Side Effects (continued)
sexual difficulties, irregular menstrual cycle, changes in heart rhythm, low blood pressure, fluid retention, blurred or double vision, itching, rash, hiccups, nervousness, inability to fall asleep, and occasional liver dysfunction. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop taking the medicine and contact your doctor immediately.
V Rare: withdrawal seizures. Rare side effects can occur in almost any part of the body. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Drug Interactions
•    Alprazolam is a central-nervous-system depressant. Avoid alcohol, other sedatives, narcotics, barbiturates, monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAGI) antidepressants, antihistamines, and antidepressants. Taking alprazolam with these drugs may result in excessive depression, tiredness, sleepiness, breathing difficulties, or related symptoms.
•    Smoking may reduce the amount of alprazolam in your blood by 50%. Smokers may need larger doses.
•    The effects of alprazolam may be prolonged when taken together with cimetidine, contraceptive drugs, disulfiram, fluoxetine, isoniazid, itraconazole, ketoconazole, metoprolol, probenecid, propoxyphene, propranolol, and valproic acid.
•    The effects of some benzodiazepines may be decreased by rifampin.
•    Theophyllines may reduce alprazolam’s sedative effects.
•    If you take antacids, separate them from your alprazolam dose by at least 1 hour to prevent them from interfering with the absorption of alprazolam into the bloodstream.
•    Alprazolam may raise digoxin blood levels and the chances of digoxin toxicity.
•    The effect of levodopa + carbidopa may be decreased if it is taken together with alprazolam.
•    Combining alprazolam with phenytoin may increase phenytoin blood concentrations and the chances of phenytoin toxicity.
Food Interactions
Alprazolam is best taken on an empty stomach but may be taken with food if it upsets your stomach.

Usual Dose
Anxiety Disorder
Adult: 0.25-0.5 mg 3 times a day. Dosage must be tailored to your individual needs with a maximum dose of 4 mg a day. Child (under age 18): not recommended.
Panic Disorder
Adult: 1 -10 mg a day.
Child (under age 18): not recommended.
Overdosage
Symptoms of overdose are confusion, sleepiness, poor coordination, lack of response to pain such as a pinprick, loss of reflexes, shallow breathing, low blood pressure, and coma. The victim should be taken to a hospital emergency room. ALWAYS bring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
Alprazolam can cause tiredness, drowsiness, inability to concentrate, or related symptoms. Be careful if you are driving, operating machinery, or performing other activities that require concentration.
Anyone taking alprazolam for more than 3 or 4 months at a time may have a drug withdrawal reaction if the medicine is stopped suddenly (see “Cautions and Warnings”). Do not stop taking alprazolam, or increase or decrease the dosage, without first consulting your doctor.
If you forget a dose of alprazolam, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you forgot and return to your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose. If you take Xanax XR, take your full daily dose once a day in the morning. Do not chew or crush Xanax XR tablets.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Alprazolam may cause birth defects if taken during the first 3 months of pregnancy. You should avoid alprazolam while pregnant.
Alprazolam may pass into breast milk. Nursing mothers who must take alprazolam should use infant formula.
Seniors: Seniors, especially those with liver or kidney disease, are more sensitive to the effects of alprazolam and generally require smaller doses to achieve the same effect.

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Type of Drug
Aldosterone Blockers (al-DOH-stir-own)
Brand Names
Generic Ingredient: Eplerenone Inspra
Generic Ingredient. Spironolactone Aldactone
Combination Product
Generic Ingredients: Hydrochlorothiazide + Spironolactone Aldactazide
Prescribed For
High blood pressure, cirrhosis, and congestive heart failure (CHF); also used for people with low blood potassium who require a diuretic.
General Information
Aldosterone blockers limit the access of aldosterone—a hormone that helps to regulate several different body functions—from its receptor. Too much aldosterone results in high sodium levels, which can lead to water retention and potassium loss; it can also affect the size, shape, and function of the heart. Aldosterone blockers are generally combined with other medicines in the management of disease. These drugs are useful in removing excess body fluids in conditions associated with high aldosterone levels.
One in every ten people with high blood pressure has excess aldosterone in their systems. In people with congestive heart failure (CHF), aldosterone levels can be 20 times higher than normal, which can worsen their condition, making the use of aldosterone blockers an important part of their treatment. Aldosterone block-ers also help the heart return to normal size, shape, and function in people with heart failure. Eplerenone is broken down in the liver, primarily by an enzyme system known as CYP3A4.
Cautions and Warnings
Do not take aldosterone blockers if you are allergic or sensitive to any of their ingredients.
Do not use aldosterone blockers if you have kidney failure or high blood potassium.
People with liver disease should be cautious about using a!- dosterone blockers.
People taking an aldosterone blocker should have their potassium levels checked periodically.
People with diabetes who have albumin in their urine should not take aldosterone blockers.
Possible Side Effects
Eplerenone
✓    Less common: dizziness, diarrhea, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, coughing, abdominal pain, elevation of blood cholesterol and/or triglyceride levels, elevation of blood potassium levels, and albumin in the urine.
✓    Rare: enlargement of the breasts in males, irregular menstrual cycles in women, and painful breasts. Contact your doctor if you experience any side effect not listed above.
Spironolactone
✓    Less common: drowsiness, lethargy, headache, gastrointestinal upset, cramps and diarrhea, rash, mental confusion, fever, feeling unwell, enlargement of the breasts in males, impotence, and irregular menstrual cycles or deepening of the voice in women.
Drug Interactions
•    Do not combine eplerenone with itraconazole or ketoconazole. These drugs can cause the amount of eplerenone in the blood to increase by up to 500% and may cause fatal increases in blood potassium.
•    Mixing eplerenone with erythromycin, fluconazole, saquinavir, or verapamil increases the amount of eplerenone in the blood. People taking this combination must watch for signs of high blood potassium (see “Special Information”) and have their blood potassium levels checked regularly.
•    Combining a potassium supplement and an aldosterone blocker can lead to dangerously high blood levels of potassium. Do not use a salt-substitute or take any extra potassium unless prescribed by your doctor.
•    Combining an aldosterone blocker with an ACE inhibitor or an angiotensin H receptor blocker (ARB) may significantly raise blood potassium. Be sure your doctor monitors your potassium levels if you combine these drugs.
•    Spironolactone may interfere with anticoagulant (blood-thinning) drugs and mitotane (an anticancer drug).
•    Aspirin can interfere with the diuretic effect of spironolactone but does not alter its effect on high blood pressure or CHF.
•    Combining spironolactone with alcohol, barbiturates, or narcotics can lead to dizziness or fainting when rising suddenly from a sitting or lying position.
•    Combining spironolactone and a corticosteroid can lead to very low blood potassium.
•    Spironolactone may alter your response to drugs used during general anesthesia.
•    Lithium generally should not be combined with any diuretic.
•    Combining nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with aldosterone blockers can lead to severe elevations of blood potassium and reduce the blood-pressure-lowering effect of the diuretic.
•    Spironolactone may raise digoxin blood levels and increase the risk of severe digoxin side effects. Your doctor may have to adjust your digoxin dosage.
•    St. John’s wort (a CYP3A4 inducer) may decrease eplerenone levels by about 30%.
Food Interactions
Food appears to increase the amount of spironolactone absorbed into the blood. Take this drug with food at the same time every day. Eplerenone may be taken without regard to food or meals. Taking this drug with grapefruit juice increases the amount of drug absorbed into your body.
Usual Dose
Eplerenone
Adult 50-100 mg a day. Child: not recommended.

Spironolactone
Adult: Starting dosage is 50-100 mg a day in divided doses for high blood pressure; 25-200 mg a day in divided doses for high fluid levels related to other diseases; and 25-100 mg a day for low potassium levels related to diuretic use.
Child: 1-2 mg per lb. of body weight a day.
Spironolactone + Hydrochlorothiazide Adult: 1-4 tablets daily.
Overdosage
Eplerencne overdose may lead to low blood pressure and high blood potassium. Spironolactone overdose may lead to drowsiness. confusion, rash, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and diarrhea. Rarely. coma may occur in people with severe liver disease. High blood potassium may also occur, especially in people with kidney zsease. Call your local poison control center or a hospital emercency room for more information. If you seek treatment, ALWAYS oring the prescription bottle or container.
Special Information
<e a c!osterone blockers exactly as they are prescribed.
High blood levels of potassium associated with aldosterone blockers may cause weakness, lethargy, drowsiness, muscle pain or cramps, and muscular fatigue. Use caution while doing anything that requires intense concentration, like driving or operating machinery.
Do not use a salt substitute or take anything else that is a source of extra potassium, including many multivitamin or supplement products.
People with high blood pressure should not self-medicate with over-the-counter cough, cold, or allergy remedies containing stimulants. These drugs can raise blood pressure effectiveness and have an adverse effect on the heart.
!f you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the one you forgot and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
Special Populations
Pregnancy/Breast-feeding: Animal studies with eplerenone showed no effects on a developing fetus. Spironolactone crosses into the fetal circulation. When your doctor considers either of these drugs crucial, their potential benefits must be carefully weighed against their risks.

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