Salagen 5mg Film-Coated Tablets
Package leaflet: Information for the patient Salagen® 5mg film coated Tablets
(pilocarpine hydrochloride)
Your medicine is known as the above but will be referred to as Salagen throughout the remainder of this leaflet.
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking 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. 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 Salagen is and what it is used for
2. Before you take Salagen
3. How to take Salagen
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Salagen
6. Further information
It is especially important to tell your doctor if you are taking any medicines to treat:
• high blood pressure, heart problems or eye problems (e.g. a beta blocker)
• diarrhoea (e.g. atropine)
• asthma (e.g. ipratropium inhaler)
Pregnancy
Do not use Salagen during pregnancy unless your doctor recommends it.
If you are, or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor before taking Salagen.
Breast-feeding
Do not use Salagen if you are breast-feeding.
Ask your doctor for advice before taking any medicine.
Male Fertility
If you are planning to father a child, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine.
Driving and using machines
Salagen may cause dizziness or affect your vision, in particular, you may have problems seeing well at night. If this happens to you, do not drive or use any tools or machines.
2. Before you take Salagen
Salagen contains the active substance pilocarpine hydrochloride, which belongs to a group of medicines called parasympathomimetic agents or cholinergic agents.
Salagen stimulates certain nerves and glands in your body. After you take Salagen, your body will
produce more saliva, tears, sweat, gastric juices and mucus.
Salagen is used
• if you have been given radiotherapy for cancer of the head or neck, and your mouth feels very dry
• if you have been diagnosed with a condition called Sjogren's syndrome, and your mouth and/or your eyes are dry and/or itchy
If you have any questions about how Salagen works or why this medicine has been prescribed for you, ask your doctor.
Do not take Salagen
• if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to pilocarpine hydrochloride or to any of the other ingredients of Salagen
• if you have untreated asthma
• if you have untreated heart or kidney disease
• if you have a chronic disease that is being treated with a medicinal product that acts like Salagen
• if you have an inflammation of the iris of the eye (iritis)
If any of these apply to you, tell your doctor before taking Salagen.
Take special care with Salagen
Tell your doctor before you take Salagen if you have any:
• lung problems (e.g. asthma, chronic bronchitis and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• heart problems (e.g. heart failure, irregular pulse)
• gallbladder problems (e.g. gallstones)
• stomach problems (e.g. ulcers)
• liver problems (e.g. impaired liver function)
• nervous system problems/ mental problems
• kidney problems (e.g. renal insufficiency or kidney stones)
• eye problems (e.g. narrow-angle glaucoma)
Eye tests
Your doctor may want to check your eyes before you start the therapy. If you have not had your eyes checked recently, tell your doctor.
Excessive sweating
If you sweat excessively during Salagen treatment, drink more liquids. If this does not help, contact your doctor as you may suffer from dehydration and organ damage if this continues.
Taking other medicines
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription.
Always take Salagen exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Salagen should only be taken by mouth. Do not chew or bite the tablets.
Take Salagen tablets with a glass of water during, or directly after, meals.
Try to take your tablets at intervals spread out evenly over the day, e.g. take your first tablet in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening.
Older people (65 years of age and over)
There are no special dose recommendations for patients 65 years of age or older.
Children and adolescents (2 to 17 years of age)
The safety of Salagen has not been established in children or adolescents.
The usual dose is:
• For patients who have been treated with radiotherapy for head and neck cancer:
The recommended dose for adults is one 5 mg tablet three times a day.
Make sure you take your last tablet of the day with your evening meal.
• For patients who have been diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome:
The recommended dose for adults is one 5 mg tablet four times a day.
Make sure that you take your last tablet of the day just before you go to bed.
• For patients with impaired liver function:
If you have cirrhosis (liver disorder), your doctor will start your treatment at a lower daily dose.
Depending on how you respond to treatment, your doctor may gradually increase your dose up to the recommended daily dose. Depending on how you respond to treatment, your doctor may suggest a higher or lower dose. The dose can be increased up to 30 mg (6 tablets) a day.
Your doctor will tell you exactly how long you will need to take the tablets. If no improvement is noted after 2-3 months your doctor may decide to discontinue therapy.
If you take more Salagen than you should
If you have accidentally taken too many Salagen tablets, talk to a doctor immediately. You may require medical attention.
If you forget to take Salagen
If you are less than 6 hours late taking your tablet, take it with food as soon as you remember. Then delay taking your next tablet until at least 3 to 4 hours after the usual time.
If you are over 6 hours late taking your tablet and your next Salagen tablet is due, take only one tablet.
This means that you will have taken one tablet less than usual that day.
Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten tablet.
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