Patient Information Leaflet: Levetiracetam pensa 250 mg Film-Coated Tablets

Levetiracetam

Read this leaflet carefully before you or your child start taking this medicine, as it contains important information for you.

• Keep this leaflet, as you may need to read it again.
• If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not give it to others even if they have the same symptoms as you, as it may harm them.
• If you experience any side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if they are not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

Levetiracetam is an antiepileptic medication (a medication for the treatment of seizures in epilepsy).

Levetiracetam pensa is used:

• alone in adults and adolescents 16 years of age or older with recently diagnosed epilepsy to treat a form of epilepsy.Epilepsy is a disease where patients have seizures (crises). Levetiracetam is used for the form of epilepsy in which the seizures initially affect only one side of the brain, but may later spread to wider areas in both sides of the brain (partial onset seizures with or without secondary generalization).Your doctor has prescribed levetiracetam to reduce the number of seizures.
• concurrently with other antiepileptic medications to treat:
• • partial onset seizures with or without generalization in adults, adolescents, children, and infants from 1 month of age;
  • myoclonic seizures(shock-like, brief, muscle or group of muscle contractions)in adults and adolescents 12 years of age or older with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy;
  • primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures(major seizures, including loss of consciousness) in adults and adolescents12 years of age or older with idiopathic generalized epilepsy(a type of epilepsy thought to have a genetic cause).

Do not take Levetiracetam pensa think

• If you are allergic to levetiracetam, pyrrolidone derivatives, or any of the other components of this medication (listed in section 6).

Warnings and precautions

Consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take Levetiracetam pensa.

• If you have kidney problems, follow your doctor's instructions, who will decide if you need to adjust your dose.
• If you notice any decrease in your child's growth or unexpected puberty development, contact your doctor.
• A small number of people taking antiepileptic medications such as Levetiracetam pensa have had thoughts of self-harm or suicide. If you have any symptoms of depression and/or suicidal thoughts, contact your doctor.
• If you have a medical history or family history of irregular heart rhythm (visible on an electrocardiogram), or if you have a disease and/or treatment that makes you prone to cardiac arrhythmias or electrolyte imbalances.

Inform your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following adverse effects worsen or last more than a few days:

• Abnormal thoughts, feeling irritable, or reacting more aggressively than normal, or if you or your family and friends notice significant changes in mood or behavior.
• Worsening of epilepsy

In rare cases, seizures may worsen or occur more frequently, mainly during the first month after starting treatment or increasing the dose. If you experience any of these new symptoms while taking levetiracetam, see a doctor as soon as possible.

Children and adolescents

Monotherapy with levetiracetam (exclusive treatment) is not indicated in children and adolescents under 16 years old.

Other medications and Levetiracetam pensa

Inform your doctor or pharmacistif you are taking, have taken recently, or may need to take any other medication.

Do not take macrogol (laxative medication) during an hour before and an hour after taking levetiracetam, as it may lose its effect.

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or think you may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before using this medication.

Levetiracetamcan only be used during pregnancy if, after a careful evaluation, your doctor considers it necessary.

Do not stop your treatment without discussing it with your doctor first.

The risk of birth defects for the baby cannot be completely ruled out.

It is not recommended to breastfeed naturally during treatment.

Driving and operating machinery

Levetiracetam pensa may affect your ability to drive or operate tools or machinery, as it may cause drowsiness. This is more likely at the start of treatment or when increasing the dose. Do not drive or use machinery until it is confirmed that your ability to perform these activities is not impaired.

This medication contains less than 23 mg of sodium (1 mmol) per tablet; it is essentially "sodium-free".

Follow exactly the administration instructions of this medication indicated by your doctor or pharmacist. In case of doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.

Take the number of tablets prescribed by your doctor.

Levetiracetam should be takentwice a day, once in the morning and once at night, approximately at the same hour every day.

Concomitant therapy and monotherapy(from 16 years of age)

• Adults(≥18 years) and adolescents (12 to 17 years) with a weight of 50 kg or more:

General dose: between 1,000 mg and 3,000 mg per day.

When starting to take levetiracetam, your doctor will prescribe alower dosefor two weeks before administering the general dose.

For example: for a daily dose of 1,000 mg,your reduced starting dose is 1 tablet of 250 mg in the morning and 1 tablet of 250 mg at night, and the dose should be increased gradually to reach 1,000 mg per day after 2 weeks of treatment.

• Adolescents (12 to 17 years) with a weight equal to or less than 50 kg:

Your doctor will prescribe the most appropriate pharmaceutical form of levetiracetam according to weight and dose.

• Dose in infants (1 month to 23 months) and children (2 to 11 years) with a weight less than 50 kg:

Your doctor will prescribe the most appropriate pharmaceutical form of Levetiracetam according to age, weight, and dose.

A oral solution is a more suitable formulation for infants and children under 6 yearsand for children and adolescents (6 to 17 years) with a weight less than 50 kg and when tablets do not allow for precise dosing..

Administration form:

Swallow the levetiracetam tablets with a sufficient amount of liquid (e.g. a glass of water).

You can take levetiracetam with or without food. After oral administration of levetiracetam, its bitter taste may be perceived.

Treatment duration:

• Levetiracetam is used as a chronic treatment. You should continue treatment with levetiracetam for the time indicated by your doctor.
• Do not stop treatment without your doctor's recommendation, as seizures may increase..

If you take more Levetiracetam than you should:

The possible adverse effects of a levetiracetam overdose are drowsiness, agitation, aggression, decreased alertness, respiratory inhibition, and coma. Contact your doctor if you have taken more tablets than you should. Your doctor will establish the best possible treatment for the overdose.

In case of overdose/accidental ingestion, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately or call the Toxicological Information Service, phone: 91 562 04 20, indicating the medication and the amount ingested.

If you forgot to take Levetiracetam:

Contact your doctor if you have missed one or more doses.

Do not take a double dose to compensate for the missed doses.

If you interrupt treatment with Levetiracetam:

The discontinuation of treatment with levetiracetam should be done gradually to avoid an increase in seizures. If your doctor decides to stop your treatment with Levetiracetam, they will give you instructions for the gradual withdrawal of levetiracetam..

If you have any other questions about the use of this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Like all medications, Levetiracetam may cause side effects, although not everyone will experience them.

Inform your doctor immediately, or go to the nearest hospital emergency service if you experience:

• weakness, dizziness, or difficulty breathing, as these may be signs of a severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic)
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat (Quincke's edema)
• flu-like symptoms and a rash on the face followed by a prolonged rash with high fever, elevated liver enzyme levels in blood tests, and an increase in a type of white blood cell (eosinophilia) and enlarged lymph nodes (drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS))
• symptoms such as decreased urine output, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and swelling of the legs, arms, or feet, as it may be a sign of sudden kidney function decline
• a skin rash that can form blisters and may appear as small dots (central dark spots surrounded by a lighter area, with a dark ring around the edge) (erythema multiforme)
• a generalized rash with blisters and skin peeling, especially around the mouth, nose, eyes, and genitals (Stevens-Johnson syndrome)
• a more severe form that causes skin peeling on more than 30% of the body surface (toxic epidermal necrolysis)

Signs of severe mental changes or if someone around you notices signs of confusion, somnolence (drowsiness), amnesia (memory loss), memory decline (forgetfulness), abnormal behavior, or other neurological signs including involuntary or uncontrolled movements. These may be symptoms of encephalopathy.

The most frequently reported side effects are nasopharyngitis, somnolence (drowsiness), headache, fatigue, and dizziness. Side effects such as drowsiness, weakness, and dizziness may be more frequent when starting treatment or increasing the dose. However, these side effects should decrease over time.

Very common:may affect more than 1 in 10 people

• nasopharyngitis;
• somnolence (drowsiness);
• headache.

Common:may affect up to 1 in 10 people

• anorexia (loss of appetite);
• depression, hostility, or aggression, anxiety, insomnia, nervousness, or irritability;
• seizures, balance disorder, dizziness, lethargy (lack of energy and enthusiasm), tremor (involuntary shaking);
• dizziness (sensation of rotation);
• cough;
• abdominal pain, diarrhea, dyspepsia (heavy digestion, burning, and acidity), vomiting, nausea;
• skin rash;
• asthenia/fatigue (sensation of weakness).

Rare:may affect up to 1 in 100 people

• decreased platelet count, decreased white blood cell count;
• weight loss, weight gain;
• suicidal attempt and suicidal thoughts, mental alterations, abnormal behavior, hallucinations, anger, confusion, panic attack, emotional instability/mood changes, agitation;
• amnesia (memory loss), memory decline (forgetfulness), abnormal coordination/ataxia (coordinated movement altered), paresthesia (tingling), attention alterations (loss of concentration);
• diplopia (double vision), blurred vision;
• abnormal liver function test results;
• hair loss, eczema, itching;
• muscle weakness, myalgia (muscle pain);
• injury.

Rare:may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people

• infection;
• decreased count of all types of blood cells;
• severe allergic reactions (DRESS, anaphylactic reaction (severe and life-threatening allergic reaction), Quincke's edema (swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and throat));
• hyponatremia (low sodium levels in the blood);
• suicide, personality disorders (behavior problems), abnormal thinking (slow thinking, difficulty concentrating);
• delirium;
• encephalopathy (see "Inform your doctor immediately" for a detailed description of symptoms);
• seizures may worsen or occur more frequently;
• involuntary muscle spasms affecting the head, torso, and limbs, difficulty controlling movements, hyperkinesia (hyperactivity);
• change in heart rhythm (electrocardiogram);
• pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas);
• hepatic insufficiency, hepatitis (inflammation of the liver);
• sudden decline in kidney function;
• skin rash, which may lead to blisters that may appear as small dots (central dark spots surrounded by a lighter area, with a dark ring around the edge) (erythema multiforme), a generalized rash with blisters and skin peeling, especially around the mouth, nose, eyes, and genitals (Stevens-Johnson syndrome), and a more severe form that causes skin peeling on more than 30% of the body surface (toxic epidermal necrolysis);
• rhabdomyolysis (muscle tissue breakdown) and elevated creatine phosphokinase levels associated. The prevalence is significantly higher in Japanese patients compared to non-Japanese patients;
• gait disturbance or difficulty walking

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 the Vigilance of Medicinal Products for Human Use:https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting side effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medication.

Keep this medication out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not use this medication after the expiration date that appears on the carton after CAD: and on the blister after EXP. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.

This medication does not require special storage conditions.

Medications should not be disposed of in the drains or trash. Dispose of the packaging and medications you no longer need at the SIGRE point of your pharmacy. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and medications you no longer need. By doing so, you will help protect the environment.

Composition of Levetiracetam pensa

The active ingredient is levetiracetam. Each tablet contains 250 mg of levetiracetam.

The other components are:

Tablet core: croscarmellose sodium, anhydrous colloidal silica, magnesium stearate.

Film coating: polyvinyl alcohol, titanium dioxide (E171), talc E553b, macrogol 3350, aluminum lacquer with indigo carmine (E132)).

Appearance of the product and contents of the packaging

The film-coated tablets are blue, oval, film-coated, and scored on one side.

The packages contain 20, 50, 60, and 100 film-coated tablets.

Only some package sizes may be marketed.

The score is only for breaking and facilitating swallowing, but not for dividing into equal doses.

Marketing authorization holder

Towa Pharmaceutical, S.A.

C/ de Sant Martí, 75-97

08107 Martorelles (Barcelona)

Spain

Responsible for manufacturing

Noucor Health, S.A.,

Av. Camí Reial, 51-57,

08184 Palau-solità i Plegamans

(Barcelona- Spain)

This medicinal product is authorized in the member states of the European Economic Area with the following names:

Portugal: Levetiracetam Pensa 250 mg film-coated tablet

Spain: Levetiracetam pensa 250 mg film-coated tablets EFG

Italy: Levetiracetam Pensa 250 mg film-coated tablets

Last review date of thisleaflet:October 2021

The detailed information on this medicinal product is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices.http://www.aemps.gob.es