Package Leaflet: Information for the User
Abiraterone Olpha 250 mg tablets EFG
abiraterone acetate
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
Contents of the pack
Abiraterone contains the active substance abiraterone acetate. It is used for the treatment of prostate cancer in adult men that has spread to other parts of the body. Abiraterone works by stopping your body from making testosterone; this can slow down the growth of your prostate cancer.
When abiraterone is prescribed in the early stages of the disease and you are still responding to hormone treatment, it is used together with treatment to lower your testosterone levels (androgen deprivation therapy).
When you take this medicine, your doctor will also prescribe another medicine called prednisone or prednisolone to reduce the risk of you getting high blood pressure, retaining too much water in your body (fluid retention) or low levels of a chemical called potassium in your blood.
Do not take Abiraterone Olpha
Do not take this medicine if any of the above applies to you. If you are not sure, consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.
Warnings and precautions
Tell your doctor or pharmacist before you start taking abiraterone:
Tell your doctor if you have been told you have any heart or blood vessel disorder, including heart rhythm problems (arrhythmia), or if you are being treated with medicines for these disorders.
Tell your doctor if you have yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, or severe nausea or vomiting, as these can be signs of liver problems. Rarely, liver failure (acute hepatic failure) can occur, which can be life-threatening.
A decrease in the number of red blood cells in your blood, reduced sexual desire and cases of muscle weakness and/or muscle pain may occur.
Abiraterone should not be taken with Ra-223 due to a possible increased risk of bone fractures or death.
If you plan to take Ra-223 after treatment with abiraterone and prednisone/prednisolone, you should wait 5 days before starting Ra-223 treatment.
If you are not sure if any of the above applies to you, consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.
Blood tests
Abiraterone may affect your liver, even if you do not have any symptoms. While you are taking this medicine, your doctor will do regular blood tests to check for any effects on your liver.
Children and adolescents
This medicine should not be used in children or adolescents. If a child or adolescent accidentally takes abiraterone, they should go to the hospital immediately and take this leaflet with them to show to the emergency doctor.
Other medicines and Abiraterone Olpha
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking any other medicine.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This is important because abiraterone can increase the effects of a number of medicines including heart medicines, sedatives, some diabetes medicines, herbal medicines (e.g. St. John's Wort) and others. Your doctor may consider changing the dose of these medicines. Also, some medicines may increase or decrease the effects of abiraterone. This can lead to side effects or abiraterone not working as well as it should.
Androgen deprivation therapy may increase the risk of heart rhythm problems. Tell your doctor if you are being treated with medicines
Consult your doctor if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.
Taking Abiraterone Olpha with food
This medicine should not be taken with food (see section 3, “How to take this medicine”).
Taking abiraterone with food can cause side effects.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Abiraterone is not indicated in women. This medicine may harm the unborn baby if taken by a pregnant woman.
If you have sex with a woman who can become pregnant, you should use a condom and another effective method of birth control.
If you have sex with a pregnant woman, you should use a condom to protect the unborn baby.
Pregnant women or women who think they may be pregnant should wear gloves if they need to touch or handle Abiraterone Olpha 250 mg tablets.
Driving and using machines
It is unlikely that this medicine will affect your ability to drive or use tools or machines.
Abiraterone Olpha contains lactose and sodium
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. If you are not sure, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
How much to take
The recommended dose is 1,000 mg (four Abiraterone Olpha 250 mg tablets) once a day.
How to take this medicine
Your doctor may also prescribe other medicines while you are taking abiraterone and prednisone or prednisolone.
If you take more Abiraterone Olpha than you should
If you take more abiraterone than you should, consult your doctor or go to the hospital immediately.
In case of overdose or accidental ingestion, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately or call the Toxicology Information Service, telephone: 91 562 04 20, stating the medicine and the amount taken.
If you forget to take Abiraterone Olpha
If you forget to take abiraterone or prednisone or prednisolone, take your normal dose the next day.
If you forget to take abiraterone or prednisone or prednisolone for more than one day, consult your doctor immediately.
If you stop taking Abiraterone Olpha
Do not stop taking abiraterone or prednisone or prednisolone unless your doctor tells you to.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Stop taking Abiraterone Olpha and see your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
These can be signs of low potassium levels in your blood.
Other side effects are:
Very common(may affect more than 1 in 10 people):
Fluid retention in the legs or feet, low potassium levels in the blood, increased liver function tests, high blood pressure, urinary tract infection, diarrhea.
Common(may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
High levels of fats in the blood, chest pain, irregular heart beat (atrial fibrillation), heart failure, fast heart rate, severe infections (sepsis), bone fractures, indigestion, blood in the urine, skin rash.
Uncommon(may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
Problems with the adrenal glands (related to problems with salt and water), abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), muscle weakness and/or muscle pain.
Rare(may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):
Lung irritation (also called allergic alveolitis).
Liver failure (also called acute hepatic failure).
Frequency not known(cannot be estimated from the available data):
Heart attack, changes in the electrocardiogram (ECG) (prolonged QT), and severe allergic reactions with difficulty swallowing or breathing, face, lips, tongue or throat swelling, or itchy rash.
Bone density loss may occur in men receiving treatment for prostate cancer. Abiraterone in combination with prednisone or prednisolone may increase this bone density loss.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Human Use Medicines: https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Composition of Abiraterone Olpha
Appearance and packaging
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing authorisation holder and manufacturer
Marketing authorisation holder
Olpha AS,
Rupnicu iela 5,
Olaine, Olaines novads, LV-2114,
Latvia
Manufacturer
Haupt Pharma Münster GmbH,
Schleebrüggenkamp 15,
48159, Münster,
Germany
This medicine is authorised in the Member States of the European Economic Area under the following names:
Czech Republic | Abiraterone Olpha |
Denmark | Abirateron Olpha |
Slovakia | Abiraterone Olpha 250 mg tablets |
Estonia | Abiraterone Olpha |
Spain | Abiraterona Olpha 250 mg tablets EFG |
France | ABIRATERONE OLPHA 250 mg, tablet |
Italy | Abiraterone Olpha |
Lithuania | Abiraterone Olpha 250 mg tablets |
Latvia | Abiraterone Olpha 250 mg tablets |
Poland | Abiraterone Olpha |
Date of last revision of this leaflet: June 2025
Detailed information on this medicine is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) http://www.aemps.gob.es/