ACETAZOLAMIDE

(a SEET a ZOLE a mide) Brand: Diamox, Diamox Sequels

What is the most significant information I must know about acetazolamide?

• Call your doctor immediately if you experience a sore throat, fever, unusual bleeding or bruising, tingling or tremors in your hands or foots, pain in your side or groin, or a rash. These symptoms could be early signs of a serious side effect.

• Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing another hazardous activities. Acetazolamide may reason dizziness or drowsiness. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these activities.

• Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight. Acetazolamide may magnify the sensitivity of your skin to sunlight. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when exposure to the sun is unavoidable.

What is acetazolamide?

• Acetazolamide is a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. Carbonic anhydrase is a protein in your body. Acetazolamide reduces the activity of this protein.

• Acetazolamide is used to treat glaucoma and to treat and to prevent acute mountain sickness (altitude sickness). It is also used as a part of some treatment plans for congestive heart failure and seizure disorders.

• Acetazolamide may also be used for purposes another than those listed in this medicine guide.

Who must not take acetazolamide?

• Speak your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a sulfa-based drug such as sulfamethoxazole (e.g., Bactrim, Septra, Gantanol). Acetazolamide is also a sulfa-based drug, and you may have a similar reaction to it.

• Till taking acetazolamide, speak your doctor if you

· are on aspirin therapy,

· have liver disease,

· have kidney disease,

· have heart disease,

· have lung malady, or

· have a hormonal disease.

• You may not be able to take acetazolamide, or you may require a lower doze or particular monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.

• Acetazolamide is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether acetazolamide will harm an unborn child. Do not take acetazolamide without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant.

• Acetazolamide passes into breast milk. It is not known whether acetazolamide will affect a nursing infant. Do not take acetazolamide without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How must I take acetazolamide?

• Take acetazolamide 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 every doze with a full glass of water.

• Take acetazolamide with food if it upsets your stomach.

• Store acetazolamide at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. However, if it is nearly time for your following doze, skip the missed doze and take only your following regularly scheduled doze. Do not take a double doze of this medication.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention.

• Symptoms of an acetazolamide overdose are not well known, but the next symptoms might be expected: drowsiness, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, numbness or tingling, shaking, and ringing in the ears.

What must I avoid while taking acetazolamide?

• Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight. Acetazolamide may magnify the sensitivity of your skin to sunlight. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when exposure to the sun is unavoidable.

What are the possible side effects of acetazolamide?

• If you experience any of the next serious side effects, stop taking acetazolamide and search abnormal medical attention:

· an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or person; or hives);

· a sore throat or a fever;

· unusual bleeding or bruising;

· side or groin pain;

· tingling or tremors in your hands or foots; or

· a rash.

• Another, smaller serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take acetazolamide and conversation to your doctor if you experience

· decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, or changes in taste;

· drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, or weakness;

· nervousness or mild tremor;

· headache or confusion;

· heighten sensitivity of the skin to sunlight;

· worsening gout;

· loss of blood sugar control (if you are diabetic);

· ringing in your ears or hearing problems; or

· changes in your vision.

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect acetazolamide?

• Till taking this medicine, speak your doctor if you are taking any of the next medicines:

· cyclosporine (Sandimmune). Cyclosporine may have more side effects if it is taken with acetazolamide.

· primidone (Mysoline). Primidone may not be as effective if it is taken with acetazolamide, and seizure control may be reduced.

· diflunisal (Dolobid). Diflunisal may magnify both the activity and the side effects of acetazolamide.

· aspirin, salsalate (Disalcid, Salflex, Salsitab, others), choline salicylate (Arthropan), magnesium salicylate (Doan's, Magan, Mobidin), and another aspirin-like commodity (salicylates). These medicines may also interact with acetazolamide, and particular monitoring of your therapy may be necessary.

· lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith, others). Acetazolamide may decrease the level of lithium in your blood. Particular monitoring or a dosage adjustment may be necessary.

• Drugs another than those listed here may also interact with acetazolamide. Conversation to your doctor and pharmacist till taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about acetazolamide.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

(55)