Piperazine (Systemic)

Brand Names : Entacyl

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 piperazine, the following should be considered:

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

Pregnancy - Piperazine has not been studied in pregnant women. Piperazine has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies. However, piperazine, taken by mouth, may be changed within the body into a substance that may cause cancer. Before taking piperazine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether piperazine passes into 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 - Children may be especially sensitive to the effects of piperazine. This may increase the chance of side effects during treatment.

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 specific information comparing use of piperazine 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. When you are taking piperazine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Phenothiazines (acetophenazine [e.g., Tindal], chlorpromazine [e.g., Thorazine], fluphenazine [e.g., Prolixin], mesoridazine [e.g., Serentil], perphenazine[e.g., Trilafon], prochlorperazine [e.g., Compazine], promazine [e.g., Sparine], promethazine [e.g., Phenergan], thioridazine [e.g., Mellaril], trifluoperazine [e.g., Stelazine], triflupromazine [e.g., Vesprin], trimeprazine [e.g., Temaril]) - Taking piperazine and a phenothiazine together may increase the risk of convulsions (seizures)

• Pyrantel (e.g., Antiminth) - Taking piperazine and pyrantel together may decrease the effects of piperazine

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

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease - Patients with kidney or liver disease may have an increased chance of side effects

• Seizure disorder, especially a history of epilepsy - Piperazine may make the condition worse