NIMODIPINE

(nih MO dih peen) Brand: Nimotop

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

• Some medicines can interact with nimodipine and must not be used at the same time. Speak your doctor about all your medications and any you start or stop using during treatment with nimodipine.

• Nimodipine can lower your blood pressure. Call your doctor at once if you feel like you might pass out.

• The liquid from a nimodipine capsule must never be injected through a needle into the body, or dangerously low blood pressure may result. Nimodipine gel capsules are to be taken by mouth only.

What is nimodipine?

• Nimodipine is a calcium channel blocker. Nimodipine relaxes (widens) blood vessels and improves blood flow.

• Nimodipine is used to prevent brain hurt caused by reduced blood flow to the brain resulting from aneurysm (AN-yor-iz-m), a dilated or ruptured blood vessel in the brain.

• Nimodipine may also be used for purposes another than those listed here.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking nimodipine?

• You must not use nimodipine if you are allergic to it.

• Some medicines can interact with nimodipine and must not be used at the same time. Your doctor may need to change your treatment plan if you use any of the next drugs:

· conivaptan;

· imatinib;

· nefazodone;

· an antibiotic--clarithromycin, telithromycin;

· antifungal medication--itraconazole, ketoconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole;

· heart medication--nicardipine, quinidine;

· hepatitis C medications--boceprevir, telaprevir; or

· HIV/AIDS medication--atazanavir, delavirdine, fosamprenavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir.

• To create certain nimodipine is safety for you, speak your doctor if you have:

· cirrhosis or another liver disease;

· heart malady; or

· tall or low blood pressure.

• FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether nimodipine will harm an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

• It is not known whether nimodipine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing child. You must not breast-feed while using this medicine.

How must I take nimodipine?

• Follow all directions on your prescription label. Do not take this medication in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended.

• Take nimodipine on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour till or 2 hours after a meal.

• Take this medication with a full glass of water. Swallow the capsule whole.

• If the face taking nimodipine can't swallow the capsule, the medication from internal the capsule can be given through an in-place nasogastric pipe (through the nose and into the stomach). Use a needle to create a hole in every end of the capsule, and squeeze the medication out into an oral syringe or another syringe to which a needle can't be attached. Empty the syringe into the nasogastric pipe and wash it down with 30 milliliters of usual saline.

• The medication placed into a syringe must never be injected through a needle into the body, or dangerously low blood pressure may result. Nimodipine gel capsules are to be taken by mouth only.

• Your blood pressure will need to be checked often. Your liver function may also need to be tested.

• You must not stop using nimodipine suddenly. Stopping suddenly may create your condition worse.

• Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and easy. Do not freeze. Hold every capsule in the original package before you are ready to take one.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What must I avoid while taking nimodipine?

• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with nimodipine and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Avoid the use of grapefruit commodity while taking nimodipine.

• Drinking alcohol can magnify determined side effects of nimodipine.

What are the possible side effects of nimodipine?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Call your doctor at once if you have:

· a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;

· light bruising or bleeding;

· quick or slow heart course; or

· swelling in your ankles or feet.

• General side effects may include:

· nausea, diarrhea, upset stomach;

· headache; or

· mild rash.

• 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.

What another drugs will affect nimodipine?

• Much drugs can interact with nimodipine. Not all possible interactions are listed here. Speak your doctor about all your medications and any you start or stop using during treatment with nimodipine, especially:

· cimetidine;

· St. John's wort;

· an antibiotic--ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, erythromycin, metronidazole, nafcillin, norfloxacin, tetracycline;

· an antidepressant--desipramine, fluoxetine, sertraline;

· antifungal medication--clotrimazole, fluconazole, voriconazole;

· birth control pills;

· blood pressure medication;

· a diuretic or "water pill";

· heart rhythm medication--amiodarone, dronedarone, lidocaine;

· HIV/AIDS medication--atazanavir, darunavir when given with ritonavir, efavirenz, etravirine, fosamprenavir, nevirapine, ritonavir, saquinavir;

· medication for narcolepsy--armodafinil, modafinil;

· seizure medication--carbamazepine, fosphenytoin, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, rufinamide, valproic acid;

· sildenafil (Viaga) and another erectile dysfunction medicines; or

· tuberculosis medications.

• This list is not complete and much another drugs can interact with nimodipine. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal commodity. Give a list of all your medicines to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist has additional information about nimodipine written for health professionals that you may read.

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.