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| Other drug names: | A-Am An-Az B C-Ch Ci-Cz D-Dh Di-Dz E F G H I-J K-L M-Mh Mi-Mz N-Nh Ni-Nz O P-Pl Pm-Pz Q-R S-Sn So-Sz T-To Tp-Tz U-V W-Z 0-9 |
| Contents of this page: | |
Some commonly used brand names are:
In the U.S.--
In Canada--
Other commonly used names are: 5-aminosalicylic acid , 5-ASA , and mesalazine .
Mesalamine (me-SAL-a-meen) is used to treat inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis. It works inside the bowel by helping to reduce the inflammation and other symptoms of the disease.
Mesalamine is available only with your doctor's prescription. It is available in the following dosage forms:
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For mesalamine, the following should be considered:
Allergies--Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to mesalamine, olsalazine, sulfasalazine, or any salicylates (for example, aspirin). Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.
Pregnancy--Mesalamine has not been studied in pregnant women. However, mesalamine has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.
Breast-feeding--Mesalamine may pass into the breast milk. However, this medicine has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.
Children--Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of mesalamine in children with use in other age groups.
Older adults--Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no information comparing use of mesalamine in the elderly with use in other age groups.
Other medicines--Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
Other medical problems--The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of mesalamine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
Swallow the capsule or tablet whole. Do not break, crush, or chew it before swallowing.
Take this medicine before meals and at bedtime with a full glass (8 ounces) of water, unless otherwise directed by your doctor.
Keep taking this medicine for the full time of treatment , even if you begin to feel better after a few days. Do not miss any doses .
Do not change to another brand without checking with your doctor . The doses are different for different brands. If you refill your medicine and it looks different, check with your pharmacist.
Dosing--The dose of mesalamine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label . The following information includes only the average doses of mesalamine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The number of capsules or tablets that you take depends on the brand and strength of the medicine.
Missed dose--If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.
Storage--To store this medicine:
It is important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits.
For patients taking the capsule form of this medicine:
For patients taking the tablet form of this medicine:
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Stop taking this medicine and check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur :
Less common
Abdominal or stomach cramps or pain (severe); bloody diarrhea; fever; headache (severe); skin rash and itching
Rare
Anxiety; back or stomach pain (severe); blue or pale skin; chest pain, possibly moving to the left arm, neck, or shoulder; chills; fast heartbeat; nausea or vomiting; shortness of breath; swelling of the stomach; unusual tiredness or weakness; yellow eyes or skin
Symptoms of overdose
Confusion; diarrhea (severe or continuing); dizziness or lightheadedness; drowsiness (severe); fast or deep breathing; headache (severe or continuing); hearing loss or ringing or buzzing in ears (continuing); nausea or vomiting (continuing)
Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:
More common
Abdominal or stomach cramps or pain (mild); diarrhea (mild); dizziness; headache (mild); runny or stuffy nose or sneezing
Less common
Acne; back or joint pain; gas or flatulence; indigestion; loss of appetite; loss of hair
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.
Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems. Although this use is not included in product labeling, mesalamine may be used to treat mild or moderate Crohn's disease and help prevent it from occurring again.
Other than the above information, there is no additional information relating to proper use, precautions, or side effects for this use.
Developed: 03/17/95
Interim revision: 08/14/98
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