Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Q-Candesartan
ABOUT THIS MEDICATION
What the medication is used for:
Q-Candesartan is used to treat:
- High Blood Pressure in Adults
High Blood Pressure in Children (6 to 17 years of
age)
- Heart Failure in Adults
What it does:
Q-Candesartan is an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB). You can recognize an ARB because its medicinal ingredient ends in“-SARTAN”.
This medicine does not cure your disease. It helps to control it. Therefore, it is important to continue taking Q-Candesartan regularly even if you feel fine. Its main action is to relax the arteries, letting the blood flow more freely, thereby lowering the blood pressure.
When it should not be used:
Do not take Q-Candesartan if you:
Are allergic to candesartan cilexetil or to any non-
medicinal ingredient in the formulation.
Have experienced an allergic reaction
(angioedema) with swelling of the hands, feet, or ankles, face, lips, tongue, throat, or sudden difficulty breathing or swallowing, to any ARB. Be sure to tell your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist that this has happened to you.
Are already taking a blood pressure-lowering
medicine that contains aliskiren (such as Rasilez) and you have diabetes or kidney disease.
- Are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Taking
Q-Candesartan during pregnancy can cause injury
and even death to your baby.
Are breastfeeding. It is possible that Q-Candesartan
passes into breast milk.
Are less than 1 year old
Have one of the following rare hereditary diseases:
o Galactose intolerance
o Lapp lactase deficiency
o Glucose-galactose malabsorption
Because lactose is a non-medicinal ingredient in
Q-Candesartan.
What the medicinal ingredient is:
Candesartan cilexetil.
What the nonmedicinal ingredients are:
Most medicines contain more ingredients than just the active drug. These ingredients are needed to keep medicines in a form that you can swallow. Check with your doctor if you think you might be allergic to any of the following items (listed in alphabetical order): Carmellose calcium, hydroxypropyl cellulose, iron oxide red (except 4 mg), lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, mannitol.
What dosage forms it comes in:
Q-Candesartan is available as 4 mg, 8 mg, 16 mg and 32 mg tablets.
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
Serious Warnings and Precautions - Pregnancy
Q-Candesartan should not be used during pregnancy. If you discover that you are pregnant while taking Q-Candesartan, stop the medication and contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist as soon as possible.
Before you start Q-Candesartan talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist:
- Have experienced an allergic reaction to any drug used to lower blood pressure, including angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
- Have narrowing of an artery or a heart valve.
- Have had a heart attack or stroke.
- Have heart failure.
- Have diabetes, heart, liver or kidney disease.
- Are on dialysis.
- Are dehydrated or suffer from excessive vomiting, diarrhea, or sweating.
- Are taking a salt substitute that contains potassium, potassium supplements, or a potassium-sparing diuretic (a specific kind of “water pill” that makes your body keep potassium).
- Are on a low-salt diet.
- Are taking a medicine that contains aliskiren, such as Rasilez, used to lower high blood pressure. The combination with Q-Candesartan is not recommended.
| IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ |
Are taking an angiotensin converting enzyme
(ACE) inhibitor. You can recognize ACE inhibitors because their medicinal ingredient ends in “-PRIL”
Driving and using machines: Before you perform tasks which may require special attention, wait until you know how you respond to Q-Candesartan. Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting can especially occur after the first dose and when the dose is increased.
If you are currently taking Q-Candesartan and are going to have an operation, be sure to tell your doctor or dentist about your medication before you are given an anaesthetic.
IN
INTERACTIONS WITH THIS MEDICATION
As with most medicines, interactions with other drugs are possible. Tell your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about all the medicines you take, including drugs prescribed by other doctors, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements, or alternative medicines.
The following may interact with Q-Candesartan:
Agents increasing serum potassium, such as a salt
substitute that contains potassium, potassium supplements, or a potassium-sparing diuretic (a specific kind of “water pill”).
- Lithium used to treat bipolar disease.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs),
used to reduce pain and swelling. Examples include ibuprofen, naproxen, and celecoxib. Blood pressure-lowering drugs, including diuretics (“water pills”), aliskiren-containing products (e.g. Rasilez) or angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
PROPER USE OF THIS MEDICATION
The dosage of Q-Candesartan is individualized.
Take Q-Candesartan exactly as prescribed. It is recommended to take your dose at about the same time everyday.
Q-Candesartan is taken once a day. Even if your doctor has prescribed 2 tablets a day, both should be taken at the same time, unless otherwise indicated.
Q-Candesartan may be taken with food or on an empty stomach but it should be taken consistently the same way each day.
Swallow Q-Candesartan with a glass of water.
How to use the blister packs:
As an aid to help you keep track of your doses, Q-Candesartan comes in a blister pack. The days of the week are printed on the back of the blister. To start, take the tablet that matches the day of the week. Continue taking the tablets in order until they are all finished.
There are 14 days of labeled tablets in each blister, with one extra to make 15. All 15 tablets, including the one labeled “Take this tablet last”, are exactly the same. Once you have finished the 14 labeled tablets, take the one marked "Take this tablet last" before starting your next blister pack.
Usual dose
Lower doses may be required based on the other medications you take and the presence of other disease conditions.
High Blood Pressure in Adults:
Recommended Initial Dose: 16 mg once a day. Total Daily Dose: 8 mg to 32 mg once a day.
High Blood Pressure in Children (6 to 17 years of age):
- For children who weigh less than 50 kg: Recommended Starting Dose: 4 mg once a day. Maximum Dose: 8 mg once a day
- For children who weigh 50 kg or more: Recommended Starting Dose: 8 mg once a day. Maximum Dose: 16 mg once a day
Q-Candesartan must not be given to children under 1 year of age due to the potential risk to the developing kidneys.
Heart Failure in Adults:
Usual Recommended Initial Dose: 4 mg once a day. If tolerated by the patient, this dose is gradually doubled (approximately every 2 weeks) until the target dose is reached.
Target Dose: 32 mg once a day.
Overdose:
| In case of drug overdose, contact a health care practitioner, | ||
| hospital emergency department or regional Poison Control | ||
| Centre immediately, even if there are no symptoms. |
Missed Dose:
If you miss a dose of Q-Candesartan and remember within 12 hours, you should take your usual dose as soon as possible. Then go back to your regular schedule. But if it is more than 12 hours when you remember, do not take the missed dose. Just take the next dose on time.
Never take a double dose of Q-Candesartan to make up for missed tablets. If you are still unsure, check with your doctor or pharmacist to see what you should do.
| IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ |
SIDE EFFECTS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT
THEM
E EFFECTS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM Side effects may include:
- Dizziness, falls
- drowsiness, insomnia
- rash
- diarrhea, vomiting
- headache
- back or leg pain, muscle cramps
- cough
- sore throat
- dry mouth
- cold symptoms
- pneumonia
- fainting spells
- confusion
Side effects in adults and children are similar, but may occur more often in children.
If any of these affects you severely, tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Q-Candesartan can cause abnormal blood test results. Your doctor will decide when to perform blood tests and will interpret the results.
| SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS, HOW OFTEN THEY | ||||||
| HAPPEN AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM | ||||||
| Symptom / effect | Talk with your doctor or pharmacist | Stop taking drug and seek immediate emergency medical attention | ||||
Only if severe | In all cases | |||||
| Common | Low Blood Pressure: dizziness, fainting, lightheaded-ness | √ | ||||
| Fast, Slow or Irregular Heart Beat | √ | |||||
Increased levels of potassium in the blood: irregular heartbeats, muscle weakness and generally feeling unwell | √ | |||||
| SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS, HOW OFTEN THEY | ||||||
| HAPPEN AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM | ||||||
| Symptom / effect | Talk with your doctor or pharmacist | Stop taking drug and seek immediate emergency medical attention | ||||
| Only if severe | In all cases | |||||
| Uncommon | Allergic Reaction: rash, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue r throat, difficulty swallowing or breathing | √ | ||||
Kidney Disorder: change in frequency of urination, nausea, vomiting, swelling of extremities, fatigue. | √ √ | |||||
| Hematuria (blood in urine) | √ | |||||
| Liver Disorder: yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite | √ | |||||
Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing (Dyspnea, Pulmonary edema) | √√ | |||||
| Rare | Rhabdomyolysi s: muscle pain that you cannot explain, muscle tenderness or weakness, dark brown urine | √ | ||||
| Very rare r | Decreased Platelets: bruising, bleeding, fatigue and weakness | √ | ||||
| Unknown | Inflammation of the Pancreas: abdominal pain | |||||
| IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ |
| SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS, HOW OFTEN THEY | ||||||
| HAPPEN AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM | ||||||
| Symptom / effect | Talk with your doctor or pharmacist | Stop taking drug and seek immediate emergency medical attention | ||||
Only if severe | In all cases | |||||
| that lasts and gets worse when you lie down, nausea and vomiting | √ | |||||
| Chest Pain | √ | |||||
Stroke (cerebrovas-cular accident): face or arm weakness, abnormal speech and blurred vision, loss of consciousness | √ | |||||
This is not a complete list of side effects. For any unexpected effects while taking Q-Candesartan, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
HOW TO STORE IT
TO STORE IT
Although the Q-Candesartan tablets are protected in their
package, it is best to keep the package at normal room temperature (Store at 15ºC–30ºC) and in a dry place. Do not keep Q-Candesartan in the bathroom.
Keep Q-Candesartan out of sight and out of reach
of children. Never take medicine in front of small children as they will want to copy you.
Do not keep or use Q-Candesartan after the expiry
date indicated on the package. Unused medicines which you know you will no longer need should be carefully discarded. You may wish to seek advice from your pharmacist.
Reporting Side Effects
You can help improve the safe use of health products for Canadians by reporting serious and unexpected side effects to Health Canada. Your report may help to identify new side effects and change the product safety information.
3 ways to report:
- Online at MedEffect (http://hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp mps/medeff/index-eng.php);
- By calling 1-866-234-2345 (toll-free);
By completing a Consumer Side Effect Reporting
Form and sending it by:
- Fax to 1-866-678-6789 (toll-free), or
Mail to: Canada Vigilance Program Health Canada,
Postal Locator 0701E Ottawa, ON
K1A 0K9
Postage paid labels and the Consumer Side Effect Reporting Form are available at MedEffect (http://hc-sc.gc.ca/dhp-mps/medeff/index-eng.php).
NOTE: Contact your health professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.
MORE INFORMATION
This document can be found at:
www.qdpharmaceuticals.ca.
The full Product Monograph prepared for health professionals can be obtained by contacting the sponsor, QD Pharmaceuticals ULC at: 1-800-661-3429
Prepared on: May 20, 2015