200 mg capsules
Dipyridamole
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Persantin SR. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking Persantin SR against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
This leaflet was last updated on the date at the end of this leaflet. More recent information may be available. The latest Consumer Medicine Information is available from your pharmacist, doctor, or from www.medicines.org.au and may contain important information about the medicine and its use of which you should be aware.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What Persantin SR is used for
Persantin SR contains dipyridamole. It is used to help prevent the recurrence of stroke in people who have had a previous stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA). This type of medication is called an anticoagulant. Some people refer to anticoagulant medicines as "blood thinners".
Dipyridamole works by preventing blood clots from forming. It works on the blood cells that help blood to clot (platelets) and prevents them from clumping and sticking together. This reduces the risk of forming blood clots that can lead to a stroke. Dipyridamole also widens the blood vessels of the heart.
Persantin SR is prescribed either alone or in conjunction with aspirin.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
Before you take Persantin SR
When you must not take it
Do not take Persantin SR if you have an allergy to:
any medicine containing dipyridamole
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
aspirin.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
rash, itching or hives on the skin.
Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant.
It may affect your developing baby if you take it during pregnancy.
Do not breast-feed if you are taking this medicine.
The active ingredient in Persantin SR passes into breast milk.
Do not give this medicine to a child.
Safety and effectiveness in children have not been established.
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your doctor.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have, or have had, any of the following medical conditions:
any heart condition (e.g. angina, heart attack or failure, heart valve problems)
severe muscle disease (myasthenia gravis)
gallstones.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Persantin SR should not be used during pregnancy.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or intend to breast-feed.
Persantin SR is not recommended in women who are breastfeeding.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you start taking Persantin SR.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and Persantin SR may interfere with each other. These include:
aspirin
medicines used to thin your blood (e.g. warfarin)
medicines used to treat high blood pressure
medicines used to treat myasthenia gravis (e.g neostigmine, distigmine and related medicines)
a medicine used to treat rapid heart rhythm (e.g. adenosine).
These medicines may be affected by Persantin SR or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking this medicine.
How to take Persantin SR
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the box, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
The recommended dose for adults is one capsule (200 mg) twice a day.
How to take it
Swallow the capsules whole with a full glass of water.
Do not chew the capsules.
When to take it
Take your medicine at about the same time each day, usually one in the morning and one in the evening, preferably with meals.
Taking it at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take it.
How long to take it
Continue taking your medicine for as long as your doctor tells you to.
This medicine helps to control your condition, but does not cure it. It is important to keep taking your medicine even if you feel well.
If you forget to take it
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember.
If you remember when it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.
This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much Persantin SR. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
Signs of overdose may include: feeling warm, flushing, sweating, restlessness, weakness and dizziness. There may be effects on the heart and circulation causing chest pain, an increase in pulse rate and a drop in blood pressure.
While you are taking Persantin SR
Things you must do
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking Persantin SR.
Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who treat you that you are taking this medicine.
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are taking this medicine.
Persantin SR can slow down blood clotting.
If you become pregnant while taking this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.
Tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking Persantin SR if you plan to have 'pharmacological stress testing'.
Things you must not do
Do not take Persantin SR to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not stop taking your medicine or lower the dosage without checking with your doctor.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Persantin SR affects you.
This medicine may cause dizziness or light-headedness in some people. If you have any of these symptoms, do not drive, operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Persantin SR.
This medicine helps most people, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following list of side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
headache, dizziness
indigestion, diarrhoea, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting
muscle aches and pains
hot flushes
low blood pressure (dizziness, light-headedness), fast heart beat.
These are usually mild and short-lived.
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:
feeling of tightness, pressure or heaviness in the chest - symptoms of angina
unusual bruising or bleeding - symptoms of a reduction in blood platelet count (thrombocytopenia)
tiredness, headaches, being short of breath when exercising, dizziness and looking pale - symptoms of a decrease in red blood cells count (anaemia)
increased bleeding during or after surgery
fever, sweating and chills; steady, severe abdominal pain that persists for longer than a few hours; or a yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice) - these may be symptoms of gallstones
abdominal pain or discomfort that is often worse at night, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite and weight - these may be symptoms of stomach/duodenal ulcers.
The above list includes serious side effects that may require medical attention.
If any of the following happen, tell your doctor immediately or go to Emergency at your nearest hospital:
skin rash, hives or itching
swelling of the face, lips or tongue
difficulty in breathing.
The above list includes very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
After using Persantin SR
Storage
Keep your capsules in the bottle until it is time to take them.
If you take the capsules out of the bottle they may not keep well.
Keep your capsules in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C.
Do not store Persantin SR or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it on a window sill or in the car.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep it where children cannot reach them.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking this medicine or the expiry date has passed, ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine that is left over.
Product description
What it looks like
Persantin SR is the brand name of the capsules that has been prescribed for you by your doctor. One half of the capsule is red and the other half is orange.
Persantin SR is available in packs of 10*, 20*, 30*, 50*, 60 or 100* capsules.
Ingredients
Each Persantin SR capsule contains 200 mg of dipyridamole in a sustained-release formulation as the active ingredient.
Persantin SR capsules also contain the following ingredients:
tartaric acid
povidone
methacrylic acid copolymer (Eudragit S 100)
talc
acacia
hypromellose
hypromellose phthalate
glycerol triacetate
dimethicone 350
stearic acid
gelatin
titanium dioxide (as colouring agent)
iron oxide red (CI77491) (as colouring agent)
iron oxide yellow (CI77492) (as colouring agent).
