Introduction
Package Leaflet: Information for the User
Ticagrelor Menarini 60 mg film-coated tablets EFG
Read the entire package leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine, because it contains important information for you.
- Keep this package leaflet, you may need to read it again.
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
- If you experience any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this package leaflet. See section 4.
Contents of the package leaflet
- What is Ticagrelor Menarini and what is it used for
- What you need to know before you take Ticagrelor Menarini
- How to take Ticagrelor Menarini
- Possible side effects
- Storage of Ticagrelor Menarini
- Contents of the pack and other information
1. What is Ticagrelor Menarini and what is it used for
What is Ticagrelor Menarini
Ticagrelor Menarini contains the active substance ticagrelor. It belongs to a group of medicines called platelet aggregation inhibitors.
What Ticagrelor Menarini is used for
Ticagrelor in combination with acetylsalicylic acid (another platelet aggregation inhibitor) should only be used in adults.
You have been prescribed this medicine because you have had:
- a heart attack, more than a year ago.
This medicine reduces the risk of you having another heart attack, a stroke, or of dying from a heart or blood vessel-related disease.
How Ticagrelor Menarini works
Ticagrelor works on cells called ‘platelets’ (also called thrombocytes). These very small blood cells help stop bleeding by clumping together to block small holes in blood vessels that are cut or damaged.
However, platelets can also form clots inside damaged blood vessels in the heart and brain. This can be very dangerous because:
- the clot can completely block the blood flow; this can cause a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or a stroke, or
- the clot can partially block the blood vessels that go to the heart; this reduces blood flow to the heart and can cause intermittent chest pain (called ‘unstable angina’).
Ticagrelor helps prevent platelets from clumping together. This reduces the chance of a blood clot forming that could reduce blood flow.
2. What you need to know before you take Ticagrelor Menarini
Do not take Ticagrelor Menarini if:
- You are allergic to ticagrelor or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
- You have any current bleeding.
- You have had a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain.
- You have severe liver disease.
- You are taking any of the following medicines:
- ketoconazole (used to treat fungal infections)
- clarithromycin (used to treat bacterial infections)
- nefazodone (an antidepressant)
- ritonavir and atazanavir (used to treat HIV and AIDS)
Do not take Ticagrelor Menarini if you are in any of the above situations. If you are unsure, consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.
Warnings and precautions
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking Ticagrelor Menarini if:
- You have a higher risk of bleeding due to:
- a recent severe injury
- recent surgery (including dental procedures, ask your dentist about this)
- you have a disorder that affects blood clotting
- recent stomach or intestine bleeding (such as stomach ulcers or colon polyps)
- You are going to have surgery (including dental procedures) at any time while taking Ticagrelor Menarini. This is because it increases the risk of bleeding. Your doctor may tell you to stop taking this medicine 5 days before surgery.
- Your heart rate is abnormally slow (usually less than 60 beats per minute) and you do not have a device that regulates your heart (pacemaker).
- You have asthma or other lung problems or breathing difficulties.
- You develop irregular breathing patterns, such as rapid, slow, or brief pauses in breathing. Your doctor will decide if you need any further evaluation.
- You have had any liver problems or have had a disease that may have affected your liver.
- You have had a blood test that shows high levels of uric acid.
If any of the above applies to you (or if you are unsure), consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.
If you are taking Ticagrelor Menarini and heparin:
- Your doctor may require a blood sample for diagnostic tests if they suspect the presence of a rare platelet disorder caused by heparin. It is important that you inform your doctor that you are taking Ticagrelor Menarini and heparin, as Ticagrelor Menarini may affect the diagnostic test.
Children and adolescents
Ticagrelor Menarini should not be given to children and adolescents under 18 years of age.
Using Ticagrelor Menarini with other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are using, have recently used, or might use any other medicines. This is because Ticagrelor Menarini may affect the way some medicines work and some medicines may affect Ticagrelor Menarini.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines:
- Rosuvastatin (a medicine used to treat high cholesterol)
- more than 40 mg daily of simvastatin or lovastatin (medicines used to treat high cholesterol levels)
- rifampicin (an antibiotic)
- phenytoin, carbamazepine, and phenobarbital (used to control epileptic seizures)
- digoxin (used to treat heart failure)
- cyclosporin (used to reduce the body's immune response)
- quinidine and diltiazem (used to treat irregular heart rhythms)
- beta-blockers and verapamil (used to treat high blood pressure)
- morphine and other opioids (used to treat acute pain)
In particular, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines that increase the risk of bleeding:
- ‘oral anticoagulants’, often referred to as ‘blood thinners’, including warfarin.
- Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) frequently taken as painkillers, such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) taken as antidepressants, such as paroxetine, sertraline, and citalopram.
- other medicines such as ketoconazole (used to treat fungal infections), clarithromycin (used to treat bacterial infections), nefazodone (an antidepressant), ritonavir and atazanavir (used to treat HIV and AIDS), cisapride (used to treat stomach acidity), ergot alkaloids (used to treat migraines and headaches).
Also, inform your doctor that because you are taking Ticagrelor Menarini, you may have a higher risk of bleeding if your doctor gives you fibrinolytics, often referred to as ‘clot dissolvers’, such as streptokinase or alteplase.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Ticagrelor Menarini should not be used if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. Women should use appropriate contraceptive methods to avoid pregnancy while taking this medicine.
Consult your doctor before taking this medicine if you are breastfeeding. Your doctor will explain the benefits and risks of taking Ticagrelor Menarini during this period.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or plan to become pregnant, consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.
Driving and using machines
Ticagrelor Menarini is unlikely to affect your ability to drive or use machines. If you feel dizzy or confused while taking this medicine, be careful while driving or using machines.
Sodium content
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol of sodium (23 mg) per dose, which is essentially ‘sodium-free’.
3. How to take Ticagrelor Menarini
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. If you are unsure, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
How much to take
- The usual dose is one 60 mg tablet twice a day. Keep taking Ticagrelor Menarini for as long as your doctor recommends.
- Take this medicine at the same time every day (e.g., one tablet in the morning and one in the evening).
Taking Ticagrelor Menarini with other blood clotting medicines
Your doctor will also usually prescribe acetylsalicylic acid. This is a substance found in many medicines used to prevent blood clotting. Your doctor will tell you how much to take (usually between 75-150 mg daily).
How to take Ticagrelor Menarini
- You can take this medicine with or without food.
- You can check when you took your last Ticagrelor Menarini tablet by looking at the blister pack. A sun symbol (for morning) and a moon symbol (for evening) will appear. This will indicate if you have taken your dose.
If you have difficulty swallowing the tablet
If you have difficulty swallowing the tablet, you can crush it and mix it with water as follows:
- Crush the tablet into a fine powder
- Pour the powder into half a glass of water
- Stir and drink immediately
- To ensure that there is no medicine left, rinse the empty glass with another half a glass of water and drink it
If you are in the hospital, this tablet may be given to you mixed with a little water through a tube in your nose (nasogastric tube).
If you take more Ticagrelor Menarini than you should
If you take more Ticagrelor Menarini than you should, consult your doctor or go to the hospital immediately. Bring the medicine pack with you. You may have a higher risk of bleeding.
In case of overdose or accidental ingestion, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately or call the Toxicology Information Service, telephone 91 562 04 20, indicating the medicine and the amount taken.
If you forget to take Ticagrelor Menarini
- If you forget to take a dose, just take your next dose at the usual time.
- Do not take a double dose (two doses at the same time) to make up for forgotten doses.
If you stop taking Ticagrelor Menarini
Do not stop taking Ticagrelor Menarini without consulting your doctor. Take this medicine regularly and for as long as your doctor recommends. If you stop taking Ticagrelor Menarini, you may increase the risk of having another heart attack or stroke, or of dying from a heart or blood vessel-related disease.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. With this medicine, the following side effects may occur:
Ticagrelor Menarini affects blood clotting, so most side effects are related to bleeding. Bleeding can occur in any part of the body. Some level of bleeding is common (such as bruising and nosebleeds). Severe bleeding is rare but can be life-threatening.
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following - you may need urgent medical treatment:
- A bleed in the brain or inside the skull is an uncommon side effect, and can cause signs of a stroke such as:
- sudden numbness or weakness of the arms, legs, or face, especially if it affects only one side of the body
- sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding others
- sudden difficulty walking or loss of balance or coordination
- sudden feeling of dizziness or a severe headache of unknown cause
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- severe or uncontrolled bleeding
- unexpected or prolonged bleeding
- urine that is pink, red, or brown
- vomiting blood or vomit that looks like “coffee grounds”
- black or red stools (like tar)
- coughing or vomiting blood
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- temporary loss of consciousness due to a sudden drop in blood flow to the brain (frequent)
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- Fever and purple spots (called purpura) on the skin and in the mouth, with or without yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), extreme tiredness, or confusion.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following:
- Difficulty breathing- this is very common.
This may be due to heart disease or another cause, or it may be a side effect of Ticagrelor Menarini. The breathing difficulty related to Ticagrelor is usually mild and is characterized by a sudden, unexpected need for air that usually occurs at rest and may disappear in many cases. If you think your breathing difficulty has worsened or lasts a long time, tell your doctor. They will decide if you need treatment or further investigations.
Other possible side effects
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
- High levels of uric acid in the blood (as seen in blood tests)
- Bleeding caused by blood disorders
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
- Bruising
- Headache
- Feeling dizzy or as if everything is spinning
- Diarrhea or indigestion
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- Constipation
- Rash
- Itching
- Severe pain and swelling in the joints - these are signs of gout
- Feeling dizzy or faint, or blurred vision - these are signs of low blood pressure
- Nosebleeds
- Bleeding more than usual after surgery or cuts (e.g., when shaving) and wounds
- Bleeding from the stomach lining (ulcer)
- Bleeding gums
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
- Allergic reaction - a skin rash, itching, or swelling of the face or swelling of the lips/tongue may be signs of an allergic reaction
- Confusion
- Vision problems caused by bleeding in the eye
- Heavier or longer-than-usual vaginal bleeding, or bleeding between periods
- Bleeding into the joints and muscles that causes painful inflammation
- Blood in the ear
- Internal bleeding, which can cause dizziness or fainting
Frequency not known (cannot be estimated from the available data)
- Abnormally slow heart rate (usually below 60 beats per minute)
Reporting of side effects
If you experience any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Spanish Medicines Monitoring System for Human Use: www.notificaRAM.es. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. Storage of Ticagrelor Menarini
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the blister and on the carton after EXP. The expiry date is the last day of the month shown.
This medicine does not require any special storage conditions. Store in the original package to protect from light.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. This will help protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
- The active substance is ticagrelor. Each film-coated tablet contains 60 mg of ticagrelor.
- The other ingredients are:
Tablet core:Hypromellose, mannitol, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl starch type A, magnesium stearate
Tablet film coating:Hypromellose, titanium dioxide (E171), macrogol (E1521), talc (E553b), red iron oxide (E172).
Appearance and packaging
Film-coated tablet (tablet)
Film-coated tablets, round, biconvex, pink, with a nominal diameter of 8.1 mm, marked with ‘60’ on one side and smooth on the other.
Ticagrelor Menarini is available in: Transparent PVC-PVDC/Al and/or PVC/PE/PVDC/Al blister packs in packs/boxes of 56 tablets.
Marketing authorisation holder and manufacturer
Marketing authorisation holder:
LABORATORIOS MENARINI, S.A.
Alfons XII, 587
08918-Badalona (Barcelona) Spain
Manufacturer:
Genepharm S.A
18th km Marathonos Avenue,
153 51 Pallini Attiki
Greece
Date of the last review of this prospectus: July 2024
Detailed information about this medication is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) http://www.aemps.gob.es/.