Label: information for thepatient
Alprazolam Viatris 0.25 mg tablets EFG
Read this label carefully before starting to take this medication, as it contains important information for you.
1. What isAlprazolam Viatrisand for what it is used
2. What you need to know before starting to takeAlprazolam Viatris
3. How to takeAlprazolam Viatris
4. Possible adverse effects
5. Storage ofAlprazolam Viatris
6. Contents of the package and additional information
The tablets contain alprazolam, which belongs to a group of medicines called benzodiazepines.
It is believed that alprazolam may increase the action of a natural substance, called GABA, in the brain. Alprazolam is used for the short-term treatment of severe anxiety disorder.
Alprazolam should only be used for a short time, as it may cause dependence.
Do not takeAlprazolam Viatris:
Warnings and precautions
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take Alprazolam Viatris:
You may experience temporary memory loss while taking this medication. To reduce the risk, try to sleep for the entire night (7-8 hours) while taking this medication.
Alprazolam has been associated with rare reactions such as restlessness, agitation, irritability, aggression, confusion, anger attacks, nightmares, hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that do not exist), psychosis (loss of contact with reality), and inappropriate behavior. If you notice any of these changes in your behavior while taking this medication, please contact your doctor, as you should stop treatment.
Children and adolescents
Alprazolam is not recommended for children and adolescents under 18 years old.
Other medications and Alprazolam Viatris
Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have taken recently, or may need to take any other medication, even those purchased without a prescription. It is especially important to inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following medications:
The concomitant use of this medication and opioids (strong pain relievers, medication for substitution therapy, and some cough medications) increases the risk of drowsiness, breathing difficulties (respiratory depression), coma, and may be potentially fatal. Deaths have been reported. Therefore, concomitant use should only be considered when other treatment options are not possible.
However, if your doctor prescribes Alprazolam Viatris tablets along with opioids, the doctor should limit the dose and duration of concomitant treatment.
Inform your doctor of all opioids you are taking and follow your doctor's dosage recommendations carefully. It may be helpful to inform your friends or family members about the signs and symptoms described above. Contact your doctor if you experience these symptoms.
If you are to undergo surgery where you will be given general anesthesia, inform your doctor that you are taking alprazolam.
Alprazolam Viatris with beverages and alcohol
Do not drink alcohol while taking alprazolam, as alcohol increases the effects of this medication and should be avoided. Do not drink large amounts of grapefruit juice while taking this medication, as it may increase the amount of alprazolam in the blood.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or think you may be pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medication.Do not takealprazolam if you are pregnant unless you and your doctor have evaluated the risks and benefits involved.
If you take alprazolam regularly during the last 3 months of pregnancy, your baby may develop dependence on alprazolam and be at risk of experiencing withdrawal symptoms after birth.
If your doctor has decided that you should take this medication at the end of pregnancy or during delivery, your baby may experience a drop in body temperature, flaccidity, breathing difficulties, and feeding difficulties, tremors, increased excitability, and agitation.
Do not take alprazolam if you are breastfeeding, as the medication may pass into breast milk.
Driving and operating machinery
Do not drive or operate machinery after taking alprazolam, as you may lose concentration or muscle control, memory loss, experience dizziness, feel drowsy, or feel nauseous.
Alprazolam Viatris contains lactose
Alprazolam Viatris contains lactose. If your doctor has diagnosed you with lactose intolerance, consult your doctor before taking alprazolam.
Alprazolam Viatris contains sodium
This medication contains less than 1 mmol of sodium (23 mg) per tablet, which is essentially "sodium-free".
Alprazolam Viatris contains sodium benzoate
This medication contains 0.1 mg of sodium benzoate per tablet.
Sodium benzoate may increase jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) in newborns (up to 4 weeks old).
Follow exactly the administration instructions of this medication as indicated by your doctor or pharmacist. In case of doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.
Adults (18 years and older)
The recommended dose is between 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg three times a day.
If necessary, your doctor may decide to increase your dose up to a maximum of 3 mg per day. Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have any doubts. Theincrease in dose should be done with caution and the dose should be increased at night before the day dose.
If you have never taken this type of medication before or have a history of alcoholism, a lower dose may be necessary.
Senior patients
Therecommendeddosein senior patients is 0.25 mg two or three times a day. If you are physically well and it is necessary, your doctor may decide to increase the dose by 0.5 mg every 3 days up to a maximum of 1.5 mg per day. Weak senior patients should not take more than 0.75 mg per day.
Alprazolam Viatris tablets should be taken orally. The groove is only for breaking the tablet if it is difficult to swallow it whole.
Patients with liver or kidney problems
If you have liver or kidney problems, your doctor may recommend taking a lower dose than usual. The maximum recommended dose for patients with liver or kidney problems is 0.75 mg to 1.5 mg per day.
Treatment duration
Alprazolam Viatris should not be taken for longer than established by your doctor and generally should not exceed 8-12 weeks.This is because taking alprazolam for too long and at too high a dose can lead to physical and mental dependence on this substance.
If you take more Alprazolam Viatris than you should
In case of overdose or accidental ingestion, contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately or call the Toxicology Information Service. Phone 91 562 04 20 indicating the medication and the amount ingested.
It is recommended to bring the packaging and the medication leaflet to the healthcare professional. Symptoms of an overdose include drowsiness, confusion, lack of coordination or involuntary movements, difficulty breathing, decreased blood pressure, fatigue, loss of consciousness, and rarely death.
If you forgot to take Alprazolam Viatris
Do not take a double dose to compensate for the missed doses, wait for the next dose.
If you interrupt treatment with Alprazolam Viatris
It is generally recommended not to interrupt the medication abruptly, but to gradually reduce the dose, always in accordance with the doctor's instructions.
When stopping administration, adverse effects such as anxiety,restlessness, convulsions, headaches, muscle pain, tension, confusion, irritability, involuntary movements, and difficulty sleeping may appear. In extreme cases, this may also include symptoms such as loss of self-awareness,disconnection from reality,increased sensitivity to light,sound, andphysical contact, numbness or tingling in the extremities, seeing or hearing things that are not real, convulsions,abdominal cramps,muscle cramps, vomiting, sweating, and agitation.
Consult your doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms or changes in mood.
If you have any other doubts about the use of this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine may cause side effects, although not everyone will experience them.
Aggressive or hostile behavior has been detected in people with a history of violence, borderline personality disorder, a history of alcoholism, and in people who have taken medications that affect the Central Nervous System. If you have post-traumatic stress disorder, stopping alprazolam treatment may cause irritability, hostility, and unpleasant thoughts and ideas.
Some of the most common side effects are observed at the beginning of treatment. These side effects usually disappear during treatment.
Inform your doctor immediatelyif you experience any of the following side effects that may be serious:
Rare(may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
Frequency not known(cannot be estimated from available data)
You will have to interrupt treatment with this medicine. Your doctor will instruct you on how to interrupt treatment.
Other possible side effects may be:
Very common(may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
Common(may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
Rare(may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
Frequency not known(cannot be estimated from available data)
Reporting of side effects
If you experience any type of side effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is a possible side effect that does not appear in this prospectus. You can also report them directly through the Spanish System for Pharmacovigilance of Medicines for Human Use: https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting side effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medication out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not store above 25°C. Store in the original packaging to protect it from light.
Do not use this medication after the expiration date that appears on the packaging after CAD or EXP. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
Medications should not be disposed of through drains or in the trash. Dispose of packaging and medications you no longer need at the SIGRE collection point at the pharmacy. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of unused packaging and medications. By doing so, you will help protect the environment.
Composition ofAlprazolam Viatris
Appearance of the product and contents of the package
The 0.25 mg tablets are white, oval-shaped, marked with “AL” notch “0.25” on one side and “G” on the reverse.
Alprazolam Viatris is available in plastic bottles of 20, 28, 30, 50, 56, 60, 84 and 100 tablets and in PVC transparent or green/Aluminum blisters of 20, 28, 30, 40, 50, 56, 60, 84 and 100 tablets.
Only some package sizes may be marketed.
Marketing authorization holder and manufacturer
Marketing authorization holder:
Damastown Industrial Park
Mulhuddart, Dublin 15
Dublin
Ireland
Manufacturer:
McDermott Laboratories Ltd. t/a Gerard Laboratories
35/36 Baldoyle Industrial Estate
Grange Road, Dublin 13
Ireland
or
Mylan B.V.
Krijgsman 20
1186 DM Amstelveen
Netherlands
or
Mylan Hungary Kft.
Mylan utca 1.
Komárom, 2900
Hungary
You can request more information about this medicine by contacting the local representative of the marketing authorization holder:
Viatris Pharmaceuticals, S.L.U.
C/ General Aranaz, 86
28027 - Madrid
Spain
This medicine is authorized in the member states of the European Economic Area with the following names:
Denmark:Alprazolam Mylan 0.25 mg
Spain:Alprazolam Viatris 0,25 mg tablets EFG
Netherlands:Alprazolam Mylan 0.25 mg Tabletten
Last review date of this leaflet: September 2020
The detailed information of this medicine is available on the website of the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS)https://www.aemps.gob.es/
Have questions about this medication or your symptoms? Connect with a licensed doctor for guidance and personalized care.