Fornisce sollievo dai sintomi della sindrome dell'intestino irritabile tra stipsi cronica idiopatica.
Tegaserod è indicato per il trattamento a breve termine delle donne con sindrome dell'intestino irritabile (IBS), il cui sintomo principale è la costipazione intestinale. La sindrome dell'intestino irritabile con costipazione idiopatica cronica e stipsi sono entrambi inferiori dismotilità disturbi gastrointestinali. Le indagini cliniche hanno dimostrato che entrambe le funzioni motorie e sensoriali dell'intestino sembra essere alterata nei pazienti affetti da irritabile sindrome da intestino (IBS), mentre nei pazienti con costipazione idiopatica cronica, ridotta motilità intestinale è la causa predominante della condizione. Sia il sistema nervoso enterico, che agisce per integrare ed elaborare informazioni nell'intestino, e 5-idrossitriptamina (5-HT, serotonina) si pensa di rappresentare gli elementi chiave nell'eziologia di entrambi IBS e costipazione idiopatica. Circa il 95% della serotonina è presente in tutto il tratto gastrointestinale, principalmente conservati nelle cellule enterocromaffini, ma anche nei nervi enterici che funge da neurotrasmettitore. La serotonina ha dimostrato di essere coinvolti nella regolazione motilità, la sensibilità viscerale e la secrezione intestinale. Le indagini suggeriscono un importante ruolo della serotonina di tipo 4 (5-HT4) recettori per il mantenimento delle funzioni gastrointestinali nell'uomo. 5-HT4 mRNA del recettore è stato trovato in tutto il tratto gastrointestinale umano.
Rapidamente assorbito dopo somministrazione orale, con una biodisponibilità assoluta di circa il 10%.
Zelnorm®
(tegaserod maleate)
Tablets
(pronounced ZEL-norm, te-gas-a-rod mal- -ate)
Read this information carefully before you start taking Zelnorm® (ZEL-norm). Read the
information you get each time you get more Zelnorm. There may be new information. This information does not take the
place of talking to your doctor about your medical condition or treatment.
What is the most important information I should know about Zelnorm?
If you get new or worse abdominal (stomach) pain, or blood in your stools, stop taking Zelnorm right
away and tell your doctor. Your doctor may need to do tests to find out if you have a serious problem with your
bowel that may require special treatment or hospitalization.
Sometimes Zelnorm causes diarrhea. Stop taking Zelnorm and call your doctor right away if you get so
much diarrhea that you get lightheaded, dizzy, or faint.
What is Zelnorm?
Zelnorm is a medicine for:
- the short-term treatment of women who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with constipation (not enough or hard
bowel movements) as their main bowel problem. Zelnorm does not work for all women who use it. Zelnorm has not been
shown to work in men with IBS with constipation.
- the treatment of patients less than 65 years of age with chronic idiopathic constipation. Chronic constipation
means constipation lasting over 6 months. Idiopathic constipation means constipation not due to other diseases or
drugs. Zelnorm has not been shown to work in patients with chronic idiopathic constipation who are 65 years of age
or older. Zelnorm increases the movement of stools (bowel movement) through the bowels. Zelnorm does not cure IBS
with constipation or chronic idiopathic constipation. For those with IBS with constipation who are helped, Zelnorm
reduces pain and discomfort in the abdominal area, bloating, and constipation. For those with chronic idiopathic
constipation, Zelnorm increases bowel movements, reduces straining, bloating and abdominal discomfort If you stop
taking Zelnorm, your symptoms may return within 1 or 2 weeks.
Who should not take Zelnorm?
You should not start taking Zelnorm if:
- You now have diarrhea or have diarrhea often.
- You have bad kidney or liver disease.
- You have ever had bowel obstruction (intestinal blockage), symptomatic gallbladder disease, or abdominal
adhesions causing pain and/or intestinal blockage.
- You are allergic to Zelnorm or any of its ingredients. The active ingredient in Zelnorm is tegaserod maleate.
The inactive ingredients are listed at the end of this leaflet.
Zelnorm may not be right for you. Tell your doctor if you:
- Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Zelnorm is not recommended for use by pregnant women.
- Are breast-feeding. Do not breast-feed while you are taking Zelnorm. The drug is likely to pass into breast
milk.
- Are taking or planning to take any other medicines, including those you can get without a prescription.
How should I take Zelnorm?
- You should take Zelnorm twice a day on an empty stomach shortly before you eat a meal, or as your doctor
prescribes it.
- For IBS with Constipation: You should take Zelnorm for 4 to 6 weeks to treat your IBS symptoms. If you feel
better, your doctor may prescribe an additional 4 to 6 weeks of Zelnorm.
- For Chronic Idiopathic Constipation: You should talk to your doctor regularly about whether you need to stay on
Zelnorm.
- If you miss a dose of Zelnorm, just skip that dose. Do not take two tablets to make up the missed dose.
Instead, just wait until the next time you are supposed to take it and then take your normal dose.
What are the possible side effects of Zelnorm?
Headache and diarrhea were the most common side effects seen with Zelnorm.
Diarrhea was an occasional side effect of treatment with Zelnorm. Most people who got diarrhea had
it during the first week after starting Zelnorm. Typically, diarrhea went away with continued therapy. If you get
bad diarrhea, or if you get diarrhea together with bad cramping, abdominal pain, fainting, or dizziness, tell your
doctor. Your doctor may tell you to stop taking Zelnorm or suggest other ways to manage your diarrhea.
There have been rare cases of rectal bleeding and severe abdominal pain in patients treated with
Zelnorm. Some of these problems were related to insufficient blood flow to part of the bowel. It is not known if
this was related to Zelnorm use.
In studies a very small number of patients were reported to have abdominal surgery. In IBS with
constipation studies there were a few more reports of abdominal surgery in patients taking Zelnorm than in patients
taking a sugar pill. Most of these were related to the gallbladder. It is not known if Zelnorm may increase your
chance of abdominal surgery. Gallbladder surgery has been reported to occur more often in IBS patients than in the
general population.
This list is not complete. Your doctor or pharmacist can give you a more complete list of possible
side effects. Talk to your doctor about any side effects you may have.
General information about the safe and effective use of Zelnorm
Keep Zelnorm at room temperature. Do not use Zelnorm past the expiration date shown on the
package.
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for conditions that are not mentioned in patient information
leaflets. Do not use Zelnorm for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give Zelnorm to other people,
even if they have the same symptoms that you have. This leaflet summarizes the most important information about
Zelnorm. For more information, talk with your doctor. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for information about
Zelnorm that is written for health professionals. You can also contact the company that makes Zelnorm at
1-866-427-6682 or www.zelnorm.com.
Inactive Ingredients
Zelnorm is available for oral use in the following tablet formulations:
- 2 mg and 6 mg tablets (blister packs) containing the following inactive ingredients: crospovidone, glyceryl
monostearate, hypromellose, lactose monohydrate, poloxamer 188, and polyethylene glycol 4000
- 6 mg tablets (bottles) containing the following inactive ingredients: crospovidone, glyceryl behenate,
hypromellose, lactose monohydrate, colloidal silicon dioxide.