Rivastigmine (Systemic)

Brand Names : Exelon

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 rivastigmine the following should be considered:

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

Pregnancy - Rivastigmine has not been studied in pregnant women. However, rivastigmine has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether rivastigmine passes into human breast milk. However, use of rivastigmine is not recommended in nursing mothers.

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

Older adults - Studies on rivastigmine have been done only in middle-aged and older patients. Information on the effects of rivastigmine is based on these patients.

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 rivastigmine, it is especially important that your doctor and pharmacist know if you are taking any of the following:

• Inflammation or pain medicine, except narcotics - Stomach irritation may be increased

• Neuromuscular blocking agents (medicines used in surgery to relax muscles) - Rivastigmine may increase the effects of these medicines; your doctor may change the dose of rivastigmine before you have surgery

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

• Asthma (or history of) or
• Blockage in the intestines or stomach, or
• Heart problems, including slow heartbeat or hypotension (low blood pressure), or
• Stomach ulcer (or history of) or
• Urinary tract blockage or difficult urination - Rivastigmine may make these conditions worse
• Epilepsy or history of seizures or
• Diabetes, hormone, or thyroid problems that are poorly controlled - Rivastigmine may cause seizures