Omacor Soft Capsules
PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER
OMACOR ® SOFT CAPSULES
(Omega-3-acid ethyl esters 90 1000 mg, comprising 840 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ethyl ester 46% and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) ethyl ester 38%)
This leaflet tells you about your medicine, Omacor Soft Capsules. Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine.
• Keep this leaflet. You may want to read it again.
• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
• If any of the side-effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
In this leaflet:
1. What Omacor Soft Capsules is and what it is used for
2. Before you take Omacor Soft Capsules
3. How to take Omacor Soft Capsules
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Omacor Soft Capsules
6. Further information
Taking Omacor Soft Capsules with food or drink
You should take the capsules at meal times. This is to help lower the chances of side effects that affect the area in and around the stomach (the gastro-intestinal area).
Use in elderly
Use Omacor Soft Capsules with care if you are over 70 years. Use in children
Children should not take this medicine.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
You should not take this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, unless your doctor decides it is absolutely necessary. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before using any medicine.
Driving and using machines
This medicine is not likely to affect you being able to drive or use any tools or machines.
Important Information about some of the ingredients
Omacor Soft Capsules may contain soya-bean oil. If you are allergic to peanut or soya, do not use this medicinal product.
3. HOW TO TAKE OMACOR SOFT CAPSULES
Omacor Soft Capsules contains highly purified omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Omacor Soft Capsules belongs to a group of so called reducers of cholesterol and triglycerides.
Omacor Soft Capsules is used:
• together with other medicines for treatment after a heart attack.
• to treat certain forms of increased triglycerides (fats) in the blood after changes to the diet have not worked.
Do not take Omacor Soft Capsules, if
• you are allergic (hypersensitive) to the main ingredient
or any of the other ingredients of Omacor Soft Capsules (see Section: Important information about some of the ingredients, and Section 6: Further Information).
If any of the above applies to you, do not take this medicine, and talk to your doctor.
Take special care with Omacor Soft Capsules if:
• you are due to have or have had surgery recently
• you have had a trauma recently
• you have a kidney problem
• you have diabetes which is not controlled
• you have problems with your liver. Your doctor will monitor any effects Omacor Soft Capsules may have on your liver with blood tests.
If any of the above applies to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.
Using other medicines
If you are using a medicine to stop blood clotting in your arteries, such as warfarin, you may need extra blood tests and your usual dose of your blood thinning medicine may have to be changed.
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are using or have recently used other medicines including medicines obtained without prescription.
1. WHAT OMACOR SOFT CAPSULES IS AND WHAT IT IS USED FOR
2. BEFORE YOU TAKE OMACOR SOFT CAPSULES
Always take Omacor Soft Capsules exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
• Swallow the capsules with a drink of water.
• You may take the capsules at meal times to help reduce gastro-intestinal side effects.
• Your doctor will decide how long you should take this medicine.
Dose after a heart attack
The usual dose is one capsule a day.
Dose to treat high blood triglyceride levels (high levels of fat in the blood or hypertriglyceridaemia)
The usual dose is 2 capsules a day, as recommended by a doctor.
If the medicine is not working well enough at this dose, your doctor may increase this to 4 capsules a day.
If you take more of Omacor Soft Capsules than you should
If you accidentally take more of this medicine than you should, do not worry, as this is unlikely to need special treatment. However, you should contact your doctor or pharmacist for further advice.
If you forget to take Omacor Soft Capsules
If you miss a dose, take it when you remember unless it is almost time for your next dose, in which case take the next dose as usual. Do not take a double dose (twice the dose recommended by your doctor) to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, Omacor Soft Capsules can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The following are side effects that may happen with this medicine:
Common side effects (occur in 1 to 10 users in 100):
• stomach problems like abdominal distension, pain, constipation, diarrhoea, indigestion (dyspepsia), gas, belching (eructation), acid reflux, feeling sick (nausea) and being sick (vomiting)
Uncommon side effects (occur in 1 to 10 users in 1,000):
• high blood sugar levels
• gout
• dizziness
• problems with taste
• headache
• low blood pressure
• nose bleed
• blood in your stools
• rash
Rare side effects (occur in 1 to 10 users in 10,000):
• allergic reactions
• raised red skin rash (hives or urticaria)
• liver disorders, with possible changes in the results of certain blood tests
If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Each soft capsule contains Omega-3-acid ethyl esters 90 1000 mg, comprising 840 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ethyl ester 46% and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) ethyl ester 38%. These substances are called omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and are also found in some oily marine fish.
Omacor Soft Capsules also contain 4mg alpha-tocopherol, gelatin, glycerol and purified water.
What Omacor Soft Capsules looks like and contents of the pack
Omacor Soft Capsules are soft, oblong, transparent gelatin capsules containing pale yellow oil with a slight fish-like odour.
Omacor Soft Capsules come in packs of 28 soft capsules.
The manufacturer is Pronova BioPharma Norge AS, N-1327 Lysaker, Norway.
Procured from within the EU and repackaged in the UK by the Parallel Import Product Licence holder: CD Pharma Ltd, Unit 3, Manor Point, Manor Way, Borehamwood, Herts. WD6 1EE.
Omacor ® Soft Capsules PL 20492/0305
Omacor is a registered trademark of Pronova BioPharma AS
Date of preparation 18th December 2013
5. HOW TO STORE OMACOR SOFT CAPSULES
• Keep out of the sight and reach of children.
• Do not use Omacor after the expiry date which is printed on the carton and the label. The expiry date refers to the last day of the month.
• Do not store Omacor Soft Capsules above 25 °C.
• Do not freeze
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.