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Heart Health

Lanoxin

Lanoxin This page contains drug information on Lanoxin. The information provided includes the following: what is Lanoxin the possible side effects of Lanoxin what happens if you miss a dose of Lanoxin what happens if you overdose with Lanoxin the most important information about Lanoxin how to use Lanoxin other drugs that may affect Lanoxin what to avoid while using Lanoxin Generic Name: digoxin (oral) (di JOX in) Brand Names: Cardoxin, Digitek, Lanoxicaps, Lanoxin What is the most important information I should know about digoxin? Do not stop taking digoxin suddenly. Stopping suddenly could make your condition worse. Even if you feel better, you need to keep taking this medication to help the heart work properly. Make sure you always have enough digoxin on hand for vacations and holidays. Ask your doctor to teach you how to monitor your heart rate and at what heart rate you should notify them before taking any more medication. What is digoxin? Digoxin helps the heart to beat more strongly and regularly. Digoxin is used to treat conditions such as congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation/ atrial flutter (types of fast heartbeats). Digoxin may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide. What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking digoxin? Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you: have kidney disease; have thyroid disease, or are taking any other heart medication. You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring while taking digoxin. Digoxin is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether digoxin will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. Digoxin passes into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. If you are over 65 years of age, you may be more likely to experience side effects from digoxin. You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring. How should I take digoxin? Take digoxin exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you. Take each dose with a full glass of water. Try to take digoxin at the same time every day. Ask your doctor to teach you how to monitor your heart rate and at what heart rate you should notify them before taking any more medication. Do not stop taking digoxin suddenly. Stopping suddenly could make your condition worse. Even if you feel better, you may need to keep taking this medication to help the heart work properly. Make sure you always have enough digoxin on hand for vacations and holidays. Your doctor may want to perform blood tests during treatment with digoxin to monitor the amount of medication in your body. Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat. What happens if I miss a dose? Take the missed dose up to 12 hours late. If more than 12 hours have passed, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do Not take a double dose of this medication. What happens if I overdose? Seek emergency medical attention. Symptoms of a digoxin overdose include nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, diarrhea, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, light "halos" around objects, green or yellow vision, fatigue, irregular heartbeats, and abnormally fast or slow heartbeats. What should I avoid while taking digoxin? There are no restrictions on food, beverages, or activity while taking digoxin unless otherwise directed by your doctor. What are the possible side effects of digoxin? If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking digoxin and seek medical attention or contact your doctor immediately: an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives); a severe headache, fainting, or extreme drowsiness or dizziness; irregular heartbeats; slow heartbeats (fewer than 60 beats per minute); abnormally fast heartbeats; vision changes (e.g., yellow-green or blurred vision); hallucinations; or abnormal or psychotic behavior. If you experience any of the following less serious side effects, continue to take digoxin and talk to your doctor if you experience decreased appetite and diarrhea; unusual tiredness or weakness; depression; nausea or vomiting; drowsiness or dizziness; decreased sex drive; or enlarged breasts in males. Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome. What other drugs will affect digoxin? Before taking digoxin, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines: another medication for irregular heartbeats, such as quinidine (Quinidex, Quinora, Cardioquin, others), amiodarone (Cordarone), or propafenone (Rythmol); an antacid or laxative that contains aluminum, magnesium, or kaolin-pectin such as Maalox, Rolaids, Mylanta, Milk of Magnesia, and others; a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin), propranolol (Inderal), acebutolol (Sectral), metoprolol (Lopressor), carteolol (Cartrol), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), or nadolol (Corgard); a calcium channel blocker such as diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor XR, Tiazac), amlodipine (Norvasc), felodipine (Plendil), nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat), verapamil (Verelan, Calan, Isoptin, Covera-HS), and others; a cancer chemotherapy drug; a diuretic (water pill) such as hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, others), chlorothiazide (Diuril), chlorthalidone (Hygroton, Thalitone), furosemide (Lasix), torsemide (Demadex), bumetanide (Bumex), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), triamterene (Dyrenium, Maxzide, Dyazide), amiloride (Midamor), spironolactone (Aldactone), eplerenone (Inspra), and others; a steroid medicine such as prednisone (Deltasone), methylprednisolone (Medrol, others), prednisolone (Prelone, Pediapred, others), dexamethasone (Decadron), and others; a thyroid medication; alprazolam (Xanax); amphotericin B (Fungizone); cholestyramine (Questran, Prevalite) or colestipol (Colestid); erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, Eryc, Ery-Tab, PCE, others) or clarithromycin (Biaxin); indomethacin (Indocin); itraconazole (Sporanox); metoclopramide (Reglan); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane); sulfasalazine (Azulfidine); or tetracycline (Broadspec, Emtet, Panmycin, Sumycin, Tetracap, others). You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring if you are taking any of the medicines listed above. Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with digoxin or affect your condition. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including herbal products.

Lopid

Lopid This page contains drug information on Lopid. The information provided includes the following: what is Lopid the possible side effects of Lopid what happens if you miss a dose of Lopid what happens if you overdose with Lopid the most important information about Lopid how to use Lopid other drugs that may affect Lopid what to avoid while using Lopid Generic Name: gemfibrozil (jem FI broe zil) Brand Names: Lopid What is the most important information I should know about gemfibrozil? Follow any special diet and exercise plan recommended by your doctor while taking this medication. Diet and exercise are important factors in regulating cholesterol. What is gemfibrozil? The exact way that gemfibrozil works to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides (types of fat) in the blood is not known. High levels of fat in the blood are associated with an increased chance of heart disease, strokes, and other illnesses. Gemfibrozil is used to lower high levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. Gemfibrozil may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide. What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking gemfibrozil? Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have liver disease; kidney disease; or gallbladder disease. You may not be able to take gemfibrozil, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above. Gemfibrozil is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether gemfibrozil will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether gemfibrozil passes into breast milk. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. How should I take gemfibrozil? Take gemfibrozil exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you. Take each dose with a full glass (8 ounces) of water. Gemfibrozil is usually taken twice daily, 30 minutes before breakfast and dinner. Follow your doctor's instructions. It is important to take gemfibrozil regularly to get the most benefit. Do not stop taking gemfibrozil unless directed by your doctor. It may take up to 3 months for you to see the effects of this medication. Your doctor may want you to have blood tests or other medical evaluations during treatment with gemfibrozil to monitor progress and side effects. Store gemfibrozil at room temperature away from moisture and heat. What happens if I miss a dose? Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the dose you missed and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication. What happens if I overdose? An overdose of this medication is unlikely to threaten life. Call an emergency room or poison control left for advice. Symptoms of a gemfibrozil overdose may include diarrhea, headache, and muscle pain. What should I avoid while taking gemfibrozil? Follow any special diet and exercise plan recommended by your doctor while taking this medication. Diet and exercise are important factors in regulating cholesterol. Use caution driving, operating machinery, and performing other hazardous activities until you know how gemfibrozil affects you. It may cause some drowsiness or dizziness, especially at the start of therapy. What are the possible side effects of gemfibrozil? If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking gemfibrozil and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately: an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives); chest pain, shortness of breath, or an irregular heartbeat; nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, or clay-colored stools; yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice); rash or itching; sores in the mouth or on your lips; swollen legs or feet; chills, fever, or blood in the urine; or muscle aches, pain, or cramping. Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take gemfibrozil and talk to your doctor if you experience indigestion; headache, dizziness, or drowsiness; or decreased sex drive. Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome. What other drugs will affect gemfibrozil? Gemfibrozil may increase the effects of the following drugs, which could lead to dangerous side effects: an anticoagulants (blood thinner) such as warfarin (Coumadin); insulin or an oral diabetes medication such as chlorpropamide (Diabenese), glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (Micronase, DiaBeta, Glynase), tolbutamide (Orinase), tolazamide (Tolinase), and acetohexamide (Dymelor), and others; or another cholesterol-lowering drug such as atorvastatin (Lipitor), lovastatin (Mevacor, Altocor), simvastatin (Zocor), pravastatin (Pravachol), fluvastatin (Lescol, Lescol XL) . You may not be able to take gemfibrozil, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the drugs listed above. Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with gemfibrozil. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.

Plavix

Plavix This page contains drug information on Plavix. The information provided includes the following: what is Plavix the possible side effects of Plavix what happens if you miss a dose of Plavix what happens if you overdose with Plavix the most important information about Plavix how to use Plavix other drugs that may affect Plavix what to avoid while using Plavix Generic Name: clopidogrel (kloe pih daw grel) Brand Names: Plavix What is the most important information I should know about clopidogrel? It may take longer than usual for you to stop bleeding, even from minor wounds. Tell your doctor about any unusual bleeding or bruising that you experience. Tell your doctor and dentist that you are taking this medication before having any surgical procedures. Do not take aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin, others), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), ketoprofen (Orudis, Orudis KT, Oruvail), indomethacin (Indocin), nabumetone (Relafen), oxaprozin (Daypro), or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) without first talking to your doctor. What is clopidogrel? Clopidogrel prevents platelets (substances in the blood) from clustering. This helps to prevent blood from forming blood clots. Clopidogrel is used in the prevention and treatment of heart attack, stroke, blood clots, and acute coronary syndrome. Clopidogrel may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide. What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking clopidogrel? Do not take clopidogrel if you have active bleeding anywhere in the body such as the stomach (ulcer) or in the head (type of stroke). Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you: have a bleeding or blood disorder, have or have had a stomach or intestinal ulcer; have liver disease; or need to have surgery (including dental surgery). You may not be able to take clopidogrel, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring if you have any of the conditions listed above. Clopidogrel is in the FDA pregnancy category B. This means that it is unlikely to harm an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether clopidogrel passes into breast milk. Clopidogrel is not recommended for use during breast-feeding. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. How should I take clopidogrel? Take clopidogrel exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you. Take each dose with a full glass of water. Clopidogrel can be taken with or without food. Store clopidogrel at room temperature away from moisture and heat. What happens if I miss a dose? Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication. What happens if I overdose? Seek emergency medical attention. Symptoms of a clopidogrel overdose are unknown but might include vomiting, difficulty breathing, blood in the vomit or stool, and exhaustion. What should I avoid while taking clopidogrel? Tell your doctor and dentist that you are taking this medication before having any surgical procedures. Do not take aspirin, ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin, others), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn, others), ketoprofen (Orudis, Orudis KT, Oruvail), indomethacin (Indocin), nabumetone (Relafen), oxaprozin (Daypro), or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) without first talking to your doctor. It may take longer than usual for you to stop bleeding, even from minor wounds. Tell your doctor about any unusual bleeding or bruising that you experience. What are the possible side effects of clopidogrel? If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop taking clopidogrel and seek emergency medical attention or notify your doctor immediately: an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives); bloody (or black) vomit or stools; severe headache, confusion, or dizziness; unexplained bruising or bleeding; or bleeding nose. Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take clopidogrel and talk to your doctor if you experience upset stomach; diarrhea or constipation; or headache or dizziness. Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome. What other drugs will affect clopidogrel? Before taking this medication tell your doctor if you are taking aspirin; warfarin (Coumadin); heparin, ardeparin (Normiflo), dalteparin (Fragmin), danaparoid (Orgaran), enoxaparin (Lovenox), or tinzaparin (Innohep); or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Anaprox, Naprosyn, Aleve), ketoprofen (Orudis KT, Orudis, Oruvail), indomethacin (Indocin), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), diflunisal (Dolobid), etodolac (Lodine), fenoprofen (Nalfon), flurbiprofen (Ansaid), nabumetone (Relafen), oxaprozin (Daypro), piroxicam (Feldene), sulindac (Clinoril), or tolmetin (Tolectin). The medicines listed above can cause bleeding, especially when taken with clopidogrel. This could become dangerous. Do not take any of the medicines listed above without first talking to your doctor. Clopidogrel may also interact with the following medications phenytoin (Dilantin); tamoxifen (Nolvadex); tolbutamide (Orinase); torsemide (Demadex ); and fluvastatin (Lescol). You may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring if you are taking any of the medications listed above. Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with clopidogrel. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including herbal products.