Cilostazol (Systemic)

Brand Names : Pletal

Before Using This Medicine

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 cilostazol, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to cilostazol. Also tell your healthcare professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or if you intend to become pregnant. Studies in rats and rabbits have shown that cilostazol may cause some birth defects. Be sure that you have discussed this with your doctor before taking this medicine. Tell your doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant while receiving cilostazol.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether cilostazol passes into human breast milk. However, cilostazol has been shown to pass into the breast milk of rats. Cilostazol is not recommended during breast-feeding because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing the use of cilostazol in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - This medicine has been tested in a limited number of patients and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

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. When you are taking cilostazol, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Diltiazem (e.g., Cardizem, Cardizem CD, Cardizem SR) or
• Erythromycin (medicine for infection) or
• Fluconazole (e.g., Diflucan) or
• Itraconazole (e.g., Sporanox) or
• Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral) or
• Miconazole (e.g., Lotrimin, Monistat) or
• Nefazodone (e.g., Serzone) or
• Omeprazole (e.g., Prilosec) or
• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (fluoxetine [e.g., Prozac], fluvoxamine [e.g., Luvox]), paroxetine [e.g., Paxil], sertraline [e.g., Zoloft]) - Use with these medicines may cause high levels of cilostazol, which may increase the chance of side effects

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of cilostazol. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Congestive heart failure or
• Kidney disease - May increase the chance of side effects