Pilocarpine (Systemic)

Brand Names : Salagen

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For pilocarpine, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to pilocarpine taken by mouth or used in the eye. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Pilocarpine has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals have shown that pilocarpine, when given in very high doses, may cause birth defects. Before using this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether pilocarpine passes into the breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor..

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

Older adults - This medicine has been tested 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 using pilocarpine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amantadine (e.g., Symmetrel) or
• Anticholinergics (medicine for abdominal or stomach spasms or cramps) or
• Antidepressants (medicine for depression) or
• Antidyskinetics (medicine for Parkinson's disease or other conditions affecting control of muscles) or
• Antihistamines or
• Antipsychotics (medicine for mental illness) or
• Buclizine (e.g., Bucladin) or
• Carbamazepine (e.g., Tegretol) or
• Cyclizine (e.g., Marezine) or
• Cyclobenzaprine (e.g., Flexeril) or
• Disopyramide (e.g., Norpace) or
• Flavoxate (e.g., Urispas) or
• Ipratropium (e.g., Atrovent) or
• Meclizine (e.g., Antivert) or
• Methylphenidate (e.g., Ritalin) or
• Orphenadrine (e.g., Norflex) or
• Oxybutynin (e.g., Ditropen) or
• Procainamide (e.g., Pronestyl) or
• Promethazine (e.g., Phenergan) or
• Quinidine (e.g., Quinidex) or
• Trimeprazine (e.g., Temaril) - Pilocarpine may reduce the effect of these medicines or these medicines may reduce the effects of pilocarpine

• Antimyasthenics (ambenonium [e.g., Mytelase], neostigmine [e.g., Prostigmin], pyridostigmine [Mestinon]) or
• Beta-adrenergic blocking agents (acebutolol [e.g., Sectral], atenolol [e.g., Tenormin], betaxolol [e.g., Kerlone], carteolol [e.g., Cartrol], labetalol [e.g., Normodyne], metoprolol [e.g., Lopressor], nadolol [e.g., Corgard], oxprenolol [e.g., Trasicor], penbutolol [e.g., Levatol], pindolol [e.g., Visken], propranolol [e.g., Inderal], sotalol [e.g., Sotacor], timolol [e.g., Blocadren]) or
• Bethanecol (e.g., Urecholine) or
• Ophthalmic beta-adrenergic blocking agents (betaxolol [e.g., Betoptic], carteolol [e.g., Ocupress], levobunolol [e.g., Betagan], metipranolol [e.g., OptiPranolol], timolol [e.g., Timoptic]) - Pilocarpine may increase the side effects of these medicines

• Carbachol (e.g., Isopto Carbachol) or
• Demecarium (e.g., Humorsol) or
• Echothiophate (e.g., Phospholine Iodide) or
• Isoflurophate (e.g., Floropryl) or
• Physostigmine (e.g., Isopto Eserine) or
• Pilocarpine (ophthalmic) (e.g., Isopto Carpine) - Pilocarpine may increase the effects of these ophthalmic glaucoma medicines

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

• Asthma, bronchitis, or other breathing problems, or
• Gallbladder problems or
• Glaucoma, angle closure, or
• Heart or blood vessel disease or
• Iritis (inflammation of the iris [colored part] of the eye) or
• Kidney problems or
• Mental problems or
• Peptic ulcer disease, acute - Pilocarpine may make the condition worse

• Retinal detachment, tendency for, or
• Retinal disease - Pilocarpine may increase the risk of a detached retina