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Patient Information Sheet
Iloprost (marketed as Ventavis)
PDF print version
This is a summary of the most important information
about Ventavis. For details, talk to your health care professional.
What is Ventavis?
Ventavis is a prescription medicine for adults with
certain kinds of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). It is
used to improve exercise ability and symptoms for a short time. PAH
is a condition where blood pressure is too high in the blood vessels
between the heart and the lungs such as the pulmonary arteries.
Ventavis lowers blood pressure within the pulmonary arteries by
opening up the blood vessels in the lungs.
Ventavis has not been studied in children under the age of 18.
What are The Risks?
Ventavis can cause serious side effects such as:
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Dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting
(syncope) because it lowers your blood pressure. These are
also common symptoms of PAH. To reduce your chances of fainting,
stand up slowly when you get out of chairs or bed. Use Ventavis
before increased physical exertion. Tell your doctor if fainting
gets worse with Ventavis. Your doctor may need to adjust your dose
or change your treatment. Do not drive a car or operate any tools or
machines if dizziness or fainting from low blood pressure is a
problem for you.
-
Other side effects. The most common
side effects with Ventavis include reddening of the face caused by
dilation of blood vessels (flushing), increased cough, low blood
pressure (hypotension), headaches, nausea, spasm of the jaw muscles
that causes trouble opening your mouth, and fainting (syncope).
What Should I Tell My Health Care
Professional?
Before you start using Ventavis, tell your health care
provider if you:
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have liver or kidney problems. Your doctor may need
to give you a lower dose of Ventavis.
-
are pregnant, or planning to become pregnant. It is
not known if Ventavis can harm your unborn baby.
-
are breast-feeding. It is not known if Ventavis
passes into your milk.
Are There Any Interactions With
Drugs or Foods?
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you are
taking including prescription and nonprescription medicines,
vitamins, and herbal supplements. Ventavis and certain other
medicines may affect each other in the way they work in your body.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you take:
How Do I Take Ventavis?
-
Ventavis is used with the Prodose AAD system. Read
the instructions that come with Ventavis. Do not use Ventavis
until your doctor has trained you on how to use the Prodose AAD
system.
-
Take Ventavis exactly as prescribed by your doctor.
Ventavis is usually used 6 to 9 times a day during waking hours.
Your doctor will tell you how to space your doses. You should take
Ventavis when you wake up and also before any physical activity, but
not more frequently than every 2 hours. Do not change your dose
without talking to your doctor.
-
Ventavis is breathed (inhaled) into your lungs with
the help of a Prodose AAD device. One treatment session will usually
last about 4 to 10 minutes.
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Do not drink Ventavis.
-
Do not let Ventavis solution come into contact
with your skin or eyes. If it does, rinse the skin or your eyes
right away with water.
-
If you take too much Ventavis, you may get a severe
headache, chest pain, reddening of the face, jaw pain, dizziness,
nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. If this happens stop taking Ventavis.
If symptoms persist, call your doctor.
-
Do not allow other people to be exposed to Ventavis
while you are breathing it, especially babies and pregnant women.
Ventavis FDA Approved 2004
Patient Information Sheet Revised 04/2005
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Date created: June 7, 2005 |
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