Lanoxin-Pg 50 Micrograms/Ml Elixir
Taking other medicines
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines. This includes medicines obtained without a prescription and herbal products.
This product is available in the above name but will be referred to
as Lanoxin-PG throughout the remainder of this leaflet.
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start using this
medicine.
• 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, your child or the patient. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same.
• If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet et, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
In this leaflet:
1. What Lanoxin-PG is and what it is used for
2. Before you take Lanoxin-PG
3. How to take Lanoxin-PG
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Lanoxin-PG
6. Further information
Lanoxin-PG contains a medicine called digoxin. This belongs to a group of medicines called 'cardiac glycosides'. They work by slowing down the rate while increasing the force of your heart when it beats.
It is used to treat certain heart problems, such as:
• heart failure
This is when your heart muscle can't pump strongly enough to supply blood around your whole body. It is not the same as a heart attack and does not mean that your heart stops.
• certain types of irregular heart beats
These include 'atrial flutter' or 'fibrillation'. They are caused by problems in the way the upper chambers of your heart send electrical signals. They cause your heart to beat too fast or in an uneven way.
The 'PG' of Lanoxin-PG stands for 'Paediatric and Geriatric'. This product is made for use in children or the elderly, but it may be used by others. If you are a parent, guardian or carer please read 'you' or 'your' as either 'your child' or 'the patient' in the rest of this leaflet.
Do not take Lanoxin-PG if:
• you are allergic (hypersensitive) to digoxin, digitoxin or any of the other ingredients of Lanoxin-PG (listed in Section 6)
• you have been told that you have any of the following heart problems:
- 'Second degree' or 'intermittent complete heart block'
- Certain types of 'supraventricular arrhythmias'
- 'Ventricular tachycardia' or 'Ventricular fibrillation'
- 'Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy'
Your doctor should have checked your heart problem and decided that this medicine will help you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Lanoxin-PG.
Take special care with Lanoxin-PG
Check with your doctor or pharmacist before using your medicine if:
• you have recently had a heart attack (myocardial infarction)
• you have been told that you have low potassium or magnesium levels in your blood (hypokalaemia or hypomagnesaemia)
• you have been told that you have high calcium levels in your blood(hypercalcaemia)
• you have a heart problem caused by a lack of vitamin B, known as 'Beri-Beri disease'
• you have kidney problems
• you have a lung problem
• you have thyroid problems
• you have digestion problems.
If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine. Your doctor may change your dose or you may need a different medicine.
In particular tell your doctor or pharmacist if:
• you have taken either digoxin or digitoxin in the last 2 weeks. Your doctor may need to change your dose.
Taking Lanoxin-PG with other medicines can change how they work or how Lanoxin-PG works. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following:
• medicines for stomach problems, including indigestion, diarrhoea and being sick (vomiting)
• medicines for heart problems, including high blood pressure (hypertension) and irregular heart beat (arrhythmia)
• medicines for breathing problems, like asthma
• medicines for cancer
• medicines for epilepsy
• medicines for anxiety or depression
• medicines for bacterial infections (antibiotics)
• medicines for fungal infections (antifungals)
• medicines for high cholesterol
• medicines for preventing organ transplant rejection
• medicines for problems with your immune system
• medicines for preventing blood clots during kidney dialysis
• water tablets (diuretics)
• laxatives
• steroids
• anaesthetics
• the herbal remedy St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum). This should not be taken, when taking Lanoxin-PG. If you already take St John's wort, speak to your doctor, as soon as possible, before you stop taking St John's wort.
If you are not sure if any of the above applies to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Lanoxin-PG.
Taking Lanoxin with food
Lanoxin can be taken with most foods. However, you should avoid taking it with foods that are high in fibre also known as 'roughage', as the amount of Lanoxin absorbed into the body may be reduced.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you are pregnant, might become pregnant or are breast-feeding.
Driving and using machines
You may feel dizzy, tired, have a headache or get blurred vision while taking Lanoxin. If this happens, do not drive or use any tools or machines.
Important information about some of the ingredients of Lanoxin-PG
This medicine contains sugar. If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, talk to your doctor before taking Lanoxin-PG.
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Always take Lanoxin-PG exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Your doctor will have decided how much Lanoxin-PG is right for you:
• It depends on what heart problem you have and how serious it is.
• It also depends on your age, weight and how well your kidneys work.
• Your dose may go up or down depending on how you respond to the medicine. Your doctor will do checks to see how well the medicine is working. These may involve blood and urine tests.