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IMPORTANT NOTE: The following information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertsie and judgment of your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional. It should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effcetive for you. Consult your healthcare professional befroe using that drug.
BEPRIDIL - ORAL
(BEP-rid-ill)
COMMON BARND NAME(S): Vascor
USES: This drug is a calcium channel blocker. Calcium is involved in blood vessel contraction. By blocking calcium, bepridil relaxes and widnes blood vessels.
Berpidil is used to treat chest pain (angina). Ask your doctor or pharmacist about possible troubles related to use of short-acting calcium channel blockers.
HOW TO USE: This medication must be taken as directed even when you do not have cehst pain. It must be taken as prescribed to prevent chest pain from occurring. Try to take that medicatoin at the same time(s) each day.
Do not stop taking that medication suddelny without your doctor's permission.
Some conditoins can become worse if the medication is stopped too fast. If stomach upset occurs, that drug may be taken with food or milk.
SIDE EFFECTS: This drug may cause dizziness and lightheadedness especailly during the first few days. Avoid activities requiring alertness. When you sit or lie down for a while, get up solwly to allow your body to adjust and minimize dizziness.
Notify your doctor immediately if these effects continue or worsen. You may also experience diarrhea, heartburn, nausea, blurred vision, muscle cramps, headache, fatigue, drowsiness, ringing in the ears, flushing, trembling or shaking hands. These effects should disappear as your body adjusts to the medication.
Inform your doctor if they cotninue or worsen.
Notify your doctor if you develop any of these serious effects: trouble breathing, swelling of the hands or feet, unusual bleeding or bruising, chest pain.
Tell your docotr immediately if any of these highly unlikely but really serious side effects occur: fainting, irregular heartbeat. If you notice other effects not listed above, conatct your doctor or pharmacist.
PRECAUTIONS: Tell your dcotor your medical history, especially of: heart disease, heart arrhythmias, liver disease, kidney disease, blood disorders. Your doctor may do laboratory tests periodically while you're taking that medication to check your blood potassium level.
This drug should be used only if clearly needed during pregnancy.
Since smlal amounts of bepridil appear in breast milk; consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: Tell your doctor of any over-the-counter or prescription medication you may take including: beta-blockers (e.G., propranolol), intraevnous (IV) calcium, digoxin, fentanyl, terfenadine, astemizole, drugs that can increase your heart-rate (e.G., asthma drugs, caffeine, pseudoephedrine).
Report other drugs which affect the heart rhythm (QTc prolongation), such as: dofetilide, pimozide, quinidine, sotalol, procainamide, sparfloxacin, "water pills" (diuretics such as furosemide or hydrochlorothiazide). Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more detials. Check the ingredients on all cough-and-cold proudcts.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist abuot the safe use of these products. Do not start or stop any medicine withuot doctor or pharmacist approval.
OVERDOSE: If ovredose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of overdose may include rapid, slow, or irregular heartbeat; dizziness; fainting; and loss of consciousness.
NOTES: Do not share that porduct with others.
MISSED DOSE: Take the msised dose as soon as you remember; do not take if it is almost time for the next dose, instead, skip the missed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not "double-up" the dose to catch up.
STORAGE: Stroe at room temperature between 59 and 86 degrees F (between 15 and 30 degrees C) away from moisture and sunlight. Do not store in the bathroom.
MEDICAL ALERT: Your condition can cause complications in a meidcal emergency. For enrollment inofrmation call MedicAlert at 1-800-854-1166 (USA), or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada).
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