Irbesartan 150 Mg Film-Coated Tablets
Out of date information, search anotherPACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER Irbesartan 75mg, 150mg and 300mg Film-Coated Tablets
Irbesartan
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their sign of illness are the same as yours.
- If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet (See section 4).
What is in this leaflet:
1. What Irbesartan Tablets are and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Irbesartan Tablets
3. How to take Irbesartan Tablets
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Irbesartan Tablets
6. Contents of the pack and other information
1. WHAT IRBESARTAN TABLETS ARE AND WHAT IT IS USED FOR
Irbesartan Tablets belongs to a group of medicines known as angiotensin-II receptor antagonists. Angiotensin-II is a substance produced in the body which binds to receptors in blood vessels causing them to tighten. This results in an increase in blood pressure. Irbesartan Tablets prevents the binding of angiotensin-II to these receptors, causing the blood vessels to relax and the blood pressure to lower. Irbesartan Tablets slows the decrease of kidney function in patients with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.
Irbesartan Tablets are used in adult patient:
• to treat high blood pressure (essential hypertension)
• to protect the kidney in patients with high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and laboratory evidence of impaired kidney function.
2. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU TAKE IRBESARTAN TABLETS
Do not take Irbesartan Tablets
• if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to Irbesartan or any other ingredients of Irbesartan Tablets (listed in section 6).
• if you are more than 3 months pregnant. (It is also better to avoid Irbesartan Tablets in early pregnancy - see pregnancy section)
• if you have diabetes or impaired kidney function and you are treated with a blood pressure lowering medicine containing aliskiren.
Warnings and Precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Irbesartan Tablets and if any of the following apply to you:
• if you get excessive vomiting or diarrhoea
• if you suffer from kidney problems
• if you suffer from heart problems
• if you receive Irbesartan Tablets for diabetic kidney disease. In this case your doctor may perform regular blood tests, especially for measuring blood potassium levels in case of poor kidney function
• if you are going to have an operation (surgery) or be given anaesthetics
• an ACE-inhibitor (for example enalapril, lisinopril, ramipril), in particular if you have diabetes-related kidney problems.
• aliskiren.
Your doctor may check your kidney function, blood pressure, and the amount of electrolytes (e.g. potassium) in your blood at regular intervals.
See also information under the heading “Do not take Irbesartan Tablets”.
You must tell your doctor if you think you are (or might become) pregnant. Irbesartan Tablet is not recommended in early pregnancy, and must not be taken if you are more than 3 months pregnant, as it may cause serious harm to your baby if used at that stage (see pregnancy section).
Children and adolescents
This medicinal product should not be used in children and adolescents because the safety and efficacy have not yet been fully established.
Other medicines and Irbesartan Tablets:
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken or might take any other medicines
Your doctor may need to change your dose and/or to take other precautions: If you are taking an ACE-inhibitor or aliskiren (see also information under the headings “Do not take Irbesartan Tablets” and “Warnings and precautions”).
You may need to have blood checks if you take:
• potassium supplements
• salt substitutes containing potassium
• potassium-sparing medicines (such as certain diuretics)
• medicines containing lithium
If you take certain painkillers, called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the effect of Irbesartan may be reduced.
Irbesartan Tablets with food and drink
Irbesartan Tablets can be taken with or without food.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding Pregnancy
You must tell your doctor if you think you are (or might become) pregnant. Your doctor will normally advise you to stop taking Irbesartan Tablets before you become pregnant or as soon as you know you are pregnant and will advise you to take another medicine instead of Irbesartan Tablet. Irbesartan Tablet is not recommended in early pregnancy, and must not be taken when more than 3 months pregnant, as it may cause serious harm to your baby if used after the third month of pregnancy.
Breast-feeding
Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or about to start breast-feeding. Irbesartan Tablet is not recommended for mothers who are breast-feeding, and your doctor may choose another treatment for you if you wish to breast-feed, especially if your baby is newborn, or was born prematurely.
Driving and using machines
No studies on the effects on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed. Irbesartan Tablet is unlikely to affect your ability to drive or use machines.
However, occasionally dizziness or weariness may occur during treatment of high blood pressure. If you experience these, talk to your doctor before attempting to drive or use machines.
Irbesartan Tablets contains lactose
If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars (eg. lactose), contact your doctor before taking this medicine.
3. HOW TO TAKE IRBESARTAN TABLETS
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Method of administration
Irbesartan Tablet is for oral use. Swallow the tablets with a sufficient amount of fluid (e.g. one glass of water). You can take Irbesartan Tablets with or without food. Try to take your daily dose at about the same time each day. It is important that you continue to take Irbesartan Tablets until your doctor tells you otherwise.
• Patients with high blood pressure
The usual dose is 150 mg once a day. The dose may later be increased to 300mg once daily depending on blood pressure response.
• Patients with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes with kidney disease
In patients with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, 300mg once daily is the preferred maintenance dose for the treatment of associated kidney disease.
The doctor may advise a lower dose, especially when starting treatment in certain patients such as those on haemodialysis, or those over the age of 75 years.
The maximal blood pressure lowering effect should be reached 4-6 weeks after beginning treatment.
Use in children and adolescents
Irbesartan tablet should not be given to children under 18 years of age. If a child swallows some tablets, contact your doctor immediately.
If you take more Irbesartan Tablets than you should:
If you accidentally take too many tablets, contact your doctor immediately.
If you forget to take Irbesartan Tablets:
If you accidentally miss a daily dose, just take the next dose as normal. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicines, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
Like all medicines, this medicines can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Some of these effects may be serious and may require medical attention.
As with similar medicines, rare cases of allergic skin reactions (rash, urticaria), as well as localised swelling of the face, lips and/or tongue have been reported in patients taking Irbesartan. If you get any of these symptoms or get short of breath, stop taking Irbesartan Tablets and contact your doctor immediately.
The frequency of the side effects listed below is defined using the following convention:
Very common: may affect more than 1 in 10 people Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 people
Side effects reported in clinical studies for patients treated with Irbesartan Tablets were:
• Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):
if you suffer from high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes with kidney disease, blood tests may show an increased level of potassium.
• Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
Dizziness, feeling sick/vomiting, fatigue and blood tests may show raised levels of an enzyme that measures the muscle and heart function (creatine kinase enzyme) .In patients with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes with kidney disease, dizziness when getting up from a lying or sitting position, low blood pressure when getting up from a lying or sitting position, pain in joints or muscles and decreased levels of a protein in the red blood cells (haemoglobin) were also reported.
• Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
Heart rate increased, flushing, cough, diarrhoea, indigestion/heartburn, sexual dysfunction (problems with sexual performance), chest pain.
Some undesirable effects have been reported since marketing of Irbesartan Tablets. Undesirable effects where the frequency is not known are: feeling of spinning, headache, taste disturbance, ringing in the ears, muscle cramps, pain in joints and muscles, abnormal liver function, increased blood potassium levels, impaired kidney function, and inflammation of small blood vessels mainly affecting the skin (a condition known as leukocytoclastic vasculitis). Uncommon cases of jaundice (yellowing of the skin and/or whites of the eyes) have also been reported
Reporting of side effects:
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor. This includes any possible side effects in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/vellowcard. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine
5. HOW TO STORE IRBESARTAN TABLETS
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicines after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and on the blister after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.
6. CONTENTS OF THE PACK AND OTHER INFORMATION What Irbesartan Tablets contains
The active substance is Irbesartan. Each film coated tablets contains 75mg, 150mg or 300mg of Irbesartan.
The other ingredients are:
Tablets core: Carmellose calcium, Silica colloidal anhydrous, Povidone, Sodium starch glycolate Type A, Talc & Magnesium Stearate.
Film coat: Hypromellose 15cp (E464), Lactose monohydrate, Titanium dioxide (E171) & Macrogol 3000
What do Irbesartan Tablets look like and contents of the pack
Irbesartan 75 mg tablets are white to off white oval film coated tablets debossed with "ML 94" on one side and plain on other side (approximate size 10.8 x 5.7 mm). Irbesartan 150 mg tablets are white to off white oval film coated tablets debossed with "ML 95" on one side and plain on other side (approximate size 13.6 x 7.2 mm). Irbesartan 300 mg tablets are white to off white oval film coated tablets debossed with "ML 96" on one side and plain on other side (approximate size 17.2 x 9.2 mm).
The tablets are supplied in blister packs containing 28 tablets.
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Wilcare Pharma Limited,
Building 6 Unit 14 Croxley Green Business Park Watford, England WD18 8YH
Manufacturer
Mawdsleys Brooks and Co Ltd.
Unit 22, Quest Park, Wheatley Hall Road,
Doncaster, DN2 4LT, United Kingdom
If you would like this leaflet in a different format please contact the licence holder at the following address: Wilcare Pharma Limited, Building 6 Unit 14, Croxley Green Business Park, Watford, England WD18 8YH.