Description

Product Overview

What Dipyridamole Tablets are and what they are used for

Dipyridamole Tablets belong to a group of medicines called anti-coagulants, which are used to prevent the formation of blood clots (deep vein thrombosis).
Dipyridamole Tablets are used to prevent blood clots
•When other anti-coagulants have not worked
•After grafting of arteries in heart operations such as heart by pass surgery
•Occurring with the use of artificial heart valves.

Before you take Dipyridamole Tablets

Do not take Dipyridamole Tablets if you:

•Are allergic to Dipyridamole or any of the other ingredients (see section 6)
Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking Dipyridamole Tablets if you:
•Have angina (chest pains) or other heart problems(including circulation problems) or have had a recent heart attack
•Have blood clotting problems
•Have low blood pressure (hypotension)
•Have myasthenia gravis (a rare muscle problem)
•Have left ventricular outflow obstruction
•Have hardening of the main artery just below the heart valves (sub valvular aortic stenosis)

Taking other medicines

Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including those bought without a prescription; especially:

•Medicines for high blood pressure
•Medicines for muscle weakness such as something called a ‘cholinesterase inhibitor’
•Antacids (for indigestion)
•Aspirin or clopidogrel (to thin the blood)
•Other anticoagulants (blood thinning medicines such as heparin or warfarin).
•Adenosine (for heart rhythm problems)
•Fludarabine (for certain leukemia’s)
•Digoxin (for the heart)

Pregnancy and breast-feeding

Dipyridamole Tablets should not be used in pregnancy especially in the first 3 months, unless advised by a doctor. Tell your doctor if you are

•Pregnant or likely to be pregnant
•Breast feeding.

Your doctor will advise you whether to take Dipyridamole Tablets.

Driving and using machines

Dipyridamole is unlikely to affect your ability to drive or operate machinery.

Ingredient warnings

The 25mg tablets contain sunset yellow (E110) which can cause allergic type reactions including asthma. Allergy is more common in people who are allergic to aspirin.
The 25mg and 100mg tablets contain sugars called lactose and sucrose. If a doctor has told you that you have intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.

How to take

Always take Dipyridamole Tablets exactly as your doctor has told you. If you are not sure, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
Dipyridamole tablets should be taken before meals.

Doses

Adults
300-600mg daily in three or four doses.

Children
5mg/kg bodyweight given in three or four equal doses.

If you take more than you should

Do not take more than your doctor has prescribed. It may cause symptoms such as headache, stomach or intestinal problems, low blood pressure and chest pain in patients with heart disease. If you take more than the recommended daily dose, consult a doctor at once.

If you miss a dose

If you forget to take a dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

Possible side effects

Like all medicines, Dipyridamole Tablets can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. If these occur, it is usually during the early part of treatment and with higher doses.

Contact your doctor at once if you develop any of the following rare allergic reactions:
•Breathing difficulties including feeling breathless
•Large welts or swelling of the skin near the eyes, lips, hands, feet or inside of the throat
•Severe rash with itching

Dipyridamole tablets may occasionally cause a throbbing headache which normally disappears when the dose is reduced.

Other side effects include:

Common (occur in less than 1 in 10 people):
•Lowering of blood pressure
•Dizziness
•Headache
•Feeling sick, diarrhoea
•Hot flushes

Uncommon (occur in less than 1 in 100 people):
•Worsening of the symptoms of heart disease such as chest pain and heartbeat problems
•Fainting
•Being sick
•Rash

Very rare (occur in less than 1 in 10,000 people):
•Increased bruising or prolonged bleeding (thrombocytopenia)
•Increased bleeding during or after surgery

How to store

Keep out of the reach and sight of children.
Do not store above 25°C.
Do not open the container until you are ready to begin taking this course of treatment.
Do not use Dipyridamole Tablets after the expiry date which is stated on the bottle/label after ‘Exp (MM/YY)’. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste.
Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required.
These measures will help to protect the environment.