Hydroxyzine is an antihistamine with anticholinergic (drying) and sedative properties that is used to treat allergic reactions. The body releases histamine during several types of allergic reactions and--to a lesser extent--during some viral infections, such as the common cold. When histamine binds to its receptors on cells, it causes the cells to release chemical messengers that lead to sneezing, itching, and increased mucus production. Antihistamines, like histamine, binds to the histamine receptors, but when they bind to the receptors they do not stimulate the cells to release chemical messengers. In addition, they prevent histamine from binding and stimulating the cells.
Before taking hydroxyzine
Need to know if have any of these conditions:
• any chronic illness
• diabetes
• difficulty passing urine
• glaucoma
• heart disease
• kidney disease
• liver disease
• lung disease
• an unusual or allergic reaction to hydroxyzine, cetirizine, other medicines,
foods, dyes, or preservatives
• pregnant or trying to get pregnant
• breast-feeding
Hydroxyzine side effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using hydroxyzine and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:
• restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck;
• tremor (uncontrolled shaking);
• confusion; or
• seizure (convulsions).
Less serious hydroxyzine side effects may include:
• dizziness, drowsiness;
• blurred vision, dry mouth; or
• headache.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
FLUPENTIXOL
The active ingredient flupentixol is a type of medicine called an antipsychotic.
USE
Flupentixol is used to treat mental health problem like schizophrenia, which affect the way you think, feel or behave. These problems are thought to be caused by over-activity of certain areas of the brain.
Flupentixol is also used to treat depression. It works in a similar way, by blocking receptors in your brain, but you will be given a lower dose of the tablets.
Before taking Flupentixol
Before taking flupentixol make sure your doctor or pharmacist knows:
•If you are pregnant, trying for a baby or breast-feeding.
•If you suffer from a heart condition or blood vessel disease.
•If you have liver or kidney problems.
•If you have breathing problems.
•If you suffer from Parkinson's disease.
•If you suffer from diabetes.
•If you have a condition called phaeochromocytoma (a tumour on your adrenal gland).
•If you have epilepsy, myasthenia gravis (a muscle weakening disease), prostate problems or glaucoma.
•If you have ever had jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), porphyria (a rare blood disorder) or any other problems with your blood.
•If you are taking other medicines, including those available to buy without a prescription, herbal or complementary medicines.
•If you have ever had an allergic reaction to this or any other medicine.
Pregnancy and breast feeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
•The safety of this medicine for use during pregnancy has not been established. It should be avoided during pregnancy, particularly in the first and third trimesters, unless the expected benefit to the mother outweighs any possible risks to the developing baby. Seek medical advice from your doctor. If you do get pregnant while taking this medicine it is important to consult your doctor straight away for advice. It should not suddenly stop taking this medicine unless your doctor tells you to, as this could cause withdrawal symptoms.
•This medicine passes into breast milk and could have harmful effects on a nursing infant. The manufacturer recommends that mothers who need to take this medicine should not breastfeed and bottle feed instead.
Side effects
•Abnormal movements of the hands, legs, face, neck and tongue, eg tremor, twitching, rigidity (extrapyramidal effects).
•Anxiety, restlessness and agitation (akathisia).
•Increased salivation or dry mouth.
•Sleepiness.
•Rhythmical involuntary movement of the tongue, face, mouth and jaw, which may sometimes be accompanied by involuntary movements of the arms and legs (tardive dyskinesia - see warning section above).
•Increased heart rate (tachycardia).
•Irregular heart beats (arrhythmias).
•A drop in blood pressure (hypotension) that may cause dizziness.
•Interference with the body's temperature regulation (this is more common in elderly people and may cause heat stroke in very hot weather or hypothermia in very cold weather).
•Headache.
•Changes in appetite and weight.
•Problems with attention or speech.
•Feelings of being mentally dulled or slowed down.
•Difficulty sleeping (insomnia).
•Visual disturbances.
•Disturbances of the gut such as constipation, indigestion, nausea and vomiting.
•Difficulty passing urine, increased need to pass urine, or urinary incontinence.
•Excessive sweating.
•Skin reactions such as rashes, itching, increased sensitivity to sunlight.
•Sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction.
USE
Flupentixol is used to treat mental health problem like schizophrenia, which affect the way you think, feel or behave. These problems are thought to be caused by over-activity of certain areas of the brain.
Flupentixol is also used to treat depression. It works in a similar way, by blocking receptors in your brain, but you will be given a lower dose of the tablets.
Before taking Flupentixol
Before taking flupentixol make sure your doctor or pharmacist knows:
•If you are pregnant, trying for a baby or breast-feeding.
•If you suffer from a heart condition or blood vessel disease.
•If you have liver or kidney problems.
•If you have breathing problems.
•If you suffer from Parkinson's disease.
•If you suffer from diabetes.
•If you have a condition called phaeochromocytoma (a tumour on your adrenal gland).
•If you have epilepsy, myasthenia gravis (a muscle weakening disease), prostate problems or glaucoma.
•If you have ever had jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), porphyria (a rare blood disorder) or any other problems with your blood.
•If you are taking other medicines, including those available to buy without a prescription, herbal or complementary medicines.
•If you have ever had an allergic reaction to this or any other medicine.
Pregnancy and breast feeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
•The safety of this medicine for use during pregnancy has not been established. It should be avoided during pregnancy, particularly in the first and third trimesters, unless the expected benefit to the mother outweighs any possible risks to the developing baby. Seek medical advice from your doctor. If you do get pregnant while taking this medicine it is important to consult your doctor straight away for advice. It should not suddenly stop taking this medicine unless your doctor tells you to, as this could cause withdrawal symptoms.
•This medicine passes into breast milk and could have harmful effects on a nursing infant. The manufacturer recommends that mothers who need to take this medicine should not breastfeed and bottle feed instead.
Side effects
•Abnormal movements of the hands, legs, face, neck and tongue, eg tremor, twitching, rigidity (extrapyramidal effects).
•Anxiety, restlessness and agitation (akathisia).
•Increased salivation or dry mouth.
•Sleepiness.
•Rhythmical involuntary movement of the tongue, face, mouth and jaw, which may sometimes be accompanied by involuntary movements of the arms and legs (tardive dyskinesia - see warning section above).
•Increased heart rate (tachycardia).
•Irregular heart beats (arrhythmias).
•A drop in blood pressure (hypotension) that may cause dizziness.
•Interference with the body's temperature regulation (this is more common in elderly people and may cause heat stroke in very hot weather or hypothermia in very cold weather).
•Headache.
•Changes in appetite and weight.
•Problems with attention or speech.
•Feelings of being mentally dulled or slowed down.
•Difficulty sleeping (insomnia).
•Visual disturbances.
•Disturbances of the gut such as constipation, indigestion, nausea and vomiting.
•Difficulty passing urine, increased need to pass urine, or urinary incontinence.
•Excessive sweating.
•Skin reactions such as rashes, itching, increased sensitivity to sunlight.
•Sexual problems, such as erectile dysfunction.
CLOBAZAM
Clobazam is a type of medicine called a benzodiazepine. Benzodiazepines are used for their sedative, anxiety-relieving and muscle-relaxing effects.
The brain and nerves are made up of many nerve cells that communicate with each other through electrical signals. These signals must be carefully regulated for the brain and nerves to function properly.
When abnormally rapid and repetitive electrical signals are released in the brain, it becomes over-stimulated and normal function is disturbed. This results in fits or seizures. Anxiety may also be related to the inappropriate stimulation of nerves in the brain.
Benzodiazepines work by acting on receptors in the brain called GABA receptors. This causes the release of a neurotransmitter called GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) in the brain.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are stored in nerve cells in the brain and nervous system. They are involved in transmitting messages between the nerve cells. GABA is a neurotransmitter that acts as a natural 'nerve-calming' agent. It helps keep the nerve activity in the brain in balance, and is involved in inducing sleepiness, reducing anxiety and relaxing muscles.
Clobazam acts on receptors in the brain (GABA receptors) to increase the release of GABA. This increases the calming effects of nerve cells by GABA. By calming nerve cells, clobazam prevents excessively rapid and repetitive firing of electrical signals. Thereby electrical nerve activity in the brain is stabilized, leading to prevention and treatment of fits and maintenance of normal brain function.
As clobazam prevents fitting, it is used in conjunction with another anti-epileptic medicine for the treatment of epilepsy.
Clobazam may also be used to relieve anxiety in serious or disabling anxiety related conditions. It is not recommended for the long-term treatment of anxiety due to the development of dependence (recommended maximum of 4 weeks).
What is it used for?
• Short-term (two to four weeks only) treatment of severe anxiety that is disabling or causing the individual to unacceptable distress.
• Epilepsy.
How is this drug given?
• Give with or without food. Give with food if it causes an upset stomach.
Use with caution in
• Elderly people.
• Decreased kidney function.
• Decreased liver function.
• Personality disorders.
• Phobias or obsessional states.
• Shaky or unsteady voluntary movements, e.g walking (cerebellar ataxia).
• Clobazam calms the brain.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
• This medicine may be harmful to a developing baby and it should be avoided during pregnancy unless considered essential by your doctor. This is particularly important during the first and third trimesters of pregnancy and before or during labour. Regular use during pregnancy should especially be avoided, as the baby could become dependent on the medicine and then suffer withdrawal symptoms after the birth. If this medicine is used in late pregnancy or during labour it may cause floppiness, low body temperature and breathing or feeding difficulties in the baby after birth. Ask your doctor for further information.
• This medicine should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
• Significant amounts of this medicine may pass into breast milk. It should not be used by breastfeeding mothers as it may be harmful to the nursing infant. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
Side effects
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
• Drowsiness.
• Dry mouth.
• Dizziness.
• Disturbances of the gut such as constipation, nausea.
• Decreased appetite
• Shaking, usually of the hands (tremor).
• Confusion.
• Shaky movements and unsteady walk (ataxia).
• Headache.
• Loss of memory (amnesia).
• Slurred speech.
• Skin rashes.
• Muscle weakness.
• Difficulty in passing urine (urinary retention).
• Urinary incontinence.
• Visual disturbances such as blurred vision, double vision.
• Rarely, unexpected effects such as increase in aggression, excitement, restlessness, irritability, rages, nightmares, hallucinations, psychotic reactions (see Warning section above).
• Changes in sex drive.
PRECAUTIONS: Tell your doctor your medical history, especially: kidney disease, liver disease, respiratory disease, depression, severe muscle weakness, certain types of glaucoma, history of chemical dependence, any allergies. Since this medication may cause drowsiness or dizziness, use caution operating machinery or engaging in activities requiring alertness such as driving. Limit intake of alcohol while taking this medication as it may increase the drowsiness/dizziness effects of this drug. The elderly may be more sensitive to the effects of this medication.
This drug may be habit-forming with long-term use.
The brain and nerves are made up of many nerve cells that communicate with each other through electrical signals. These signals must be carefully regulated for the brain and nerves to function properly.
When abnormally rapid and repetitive electrical signals are released in the brain, it becomes over-stimulated and normal function is disturbed. This results in fits or seizures. Anxiety may also be related to the inappropriate stimulation of nerves in the brain.
Benzodiazepines work by acting on receptors in the brain called GABA receptors. This causes the release of a neurotransmitter called GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) in the brain.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are stored in nerve cells in the brain and nervous system. They are involved in transmitting messages between the nerve cells. GABA is a neurotransmitter that acts as a natural 'nerve-calming' agent. It helps keep the nerve activity in the brain in balance, and is involved in inducing sleepiness, reducing anxiety and relaxing muscles.
Clobazam acts on receptors in the brain (GABA receptors) to increase the release of GABA. This increases the calming effects of nerve cells by GABA. By calming nerve cells, clobazam prevents excessively rapid and repetitive firing of electrical signals. Thereby electrical nerve activity in the brain is stabilized, leading to prevention and treatment of fits and maintenance of normal brain function.
As clobazam prevents fitting, it is used in conjunction with another anti-epileptic medicine for the treatment of epilepsy.
Clobazam may also be used to relieve anxiety in serious or disabling anxiety related conditions. It is not recommended for the long-term treatment of anxiety due to the development of dependence (recommended maximum of 4 weeks).
What is it used for?
• Short-term (two to four weeks only) treatment of severe anxiety that is disabling or causing the individual to unacceptable distress.
• Epilepsy.
How is this drug given?
• Give with or without food. Give with food if it causes an upset stomach.
Use with caution in
• Elderly people.
• Decreased kidney function.
• Decreased liver function.
• Personality disorders.
• Phobias or obsessional states.
• Shaky or unsteady voluntary movements, e.g walking (cerebellar ataxia).
• Clobazam calms the brain.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
• This medicine may be harmful to a developing baby and it should be avoided during pregnancy unless considered essential by your doctor. This is particularly important during the first and third trimesters of pregnancy and before or during labour. Regular use during pregnancy should especially be avoided, as the baby could become dependent on the medicine and then suffer withdrawal symptoms after the birth. If this medicine is used in late pregnancy or during labour it may cause floppiness, low body temperature and breathing or feeding difficulties in the baby after birth. Ask your doctor for further information.
• This medicine should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
• Significant amounts of this medicine may pass into breast milk. It should not be used by breastfeeding mothers as it may be harmful to the nursing infant. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
Side effects
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
• Drowsiness.
• Dry mouth.
• Dizziness.
• Disturbances of the gut such as constipation, nausea.
• Decreased appetite
• Shaking, usually of the hands (tremor).
• Confusion.
• Shaky movements and unsteady walk (ataxia).
• Headache.
• Loss of memory (amnesia).
• Slurred speech.
• Skin rashes.
• Muscle weakness.
• Difficulty in passing urine (urinary retention).
• Urinary incontinence.
• Visual disturbances such as blurred vision, double vision.
• Rarely, unexpected effects such as increase in aggression, excitement, restlessness, irritability, rages, nightmares, hallucinations, psychotic reactions (see Warning section above).
• Changes in sex drive.
PRECAUTIONS: Tell your doctor your medical history, especially: kidney disease, liver disease, respiratory disease, depression, severe muscle weakness, certain types of glaucoma, history of chemical dependence, any allergies. Since this medication may cause drowsiness or dizziness, use caution operating machinery or engaging in activities requiring alertness such as driving. Limit intake of alcohol while taking this medication as it may increase the drowsiness/dizziness effects of this drug. The elderly may be more sensitive to the effects of this medication.
This drug may be habit-forming with long-term use.
