Ranexa

Generic name: Ranolazine
Drug class: Antianginal agents

Usage of Ranexa

Ranexa (Ranolazine) belongs to a class of medications called anti-anginals. The exact way that ranolazine works is not known at this time.

Ranexa is used in adults to treat chronic angina (ongoing chest pain or pressure that is felt when the heart does not get enough oxygen).

Ranexa is used alone or with other medications. This medicine is not for use during an acute (emergency) attack of angina.

Ranexa side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic Reaction to Ranexa: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Ranexa may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor at once if you have:

a light-headed feeling;

fast or pounding heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, shortness of breath, and sudden dizziness (like you might pass out); or

kidney problems - swelling, urinating less, feeling tired or short of breath.

Common Ranexa side effects may include:

nausea, constipation;

headache; or

dizziness.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Ranexa

You should not take Ranexa if you are allergic to ranolazine, or if you have:

cirrhosis of the liver.

Some drugs should not be used with Ranexa. Your treatment plan may change if you also use:

clarithromycin;

Nefazodone;

St. John's wort;

antifungal medicine - itraconazole, ketoconazole;

HIV or AIDS medicine - Indinavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, Nelfinavir, ritonavir, Saquinavir;

seizure medicine - Carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin; or

tuberculosis medicine - rifabutin, rifampin, rifapentine.

To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever HAD:

long QT syndrome (in you or a family member);

liver disease; or

kidney disease.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

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How to use Ranexa

Usual Adult Dose for Angina Pectoris:

500 mg orally twice a day; increase to 1000 mg orally twice a day as needed Maximum dose: 1000 mg orally twice a day Use: Treatment of chronic angina

Warnings

You should not take Ranexa if you have cirrhosis of the liver.

Serious drug interactions can occur when certain medicines are used together with Ranexa. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all medicines you use now, and any medicine you start or stop using.

Ranexa is not for use during an acute (emergency) attack of chest pain. Continue using any other medicines prescribed by your doctor (such as nitroglycerin) to treat acute chest pain.

Before you take Ranexa, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, especially if you have a personal or family history of Long QT syndrome.

Chronic angina is often treated with a combination of different drugs. To best treat your condition, use all of your medications as directed by your doctor. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without advice from your doctor.

What other drugs will affect Ranexa

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines. Many drugs can affect ranolazine, especially:

any other medicine to treat heart disease;

an antibiotic or antifungal medicine;

oral diabetes medicine;

medicine to prevent organ transplant rejection;

medicine to treat a mental illness; or

medicine to treat or prevent nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy or radiation.

This list is not complete and many other drugs may interact with ranolazine. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.