Rapitus

Contraindications

Patients w/ excessive discharge of mucus, w/ limited mucociliary function, severe liver dysfunction. Pregnancy & lactation. Childn <24 mth.

Undesirable effects

Applies to levothyroxine: oral capsule liquid filled, oral tablet

Other dosage forms:

• injection powder for solution

In addition to its needed effects, some unwanted effects may be caused by levothyroxine (the active ingredient contained in Rapitus). In the event that any of these side effects do occur, they may require medical attention.

Major Side Effects

You should check with your doctor immediately if any of these side effects occur when taking levothyroxine:

Less common:

• Chest pain or discomfort
• decreased urine output
• difficult or labored breathing
• difficulty with swallowing
• dilated neck veins
• extreme fatigue
• fainting
• fast, slow, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse
• fever
• heat intolerance
• hives or welts
• increased blood pressure
• increased pulse
• irregular breathing
• irritability
• menstrual changes
• nausea
• pain or discomfort in the arms, jaw, back, or neck
• shortness of breath
• skin itching, rash, or redness
• sweating
• swelling of the eyes, face, lips, throat, or tongue
• tightness in the chest
• tremors
• troubled breathing

Rare

• Blurred or double vision
• dizziness
• eye pain
• lack or slowing of normal growth in children
• limp or walk favoring one leg
• pain in the hip or knee
• seizures
• severe headache

If any of the following symptoms of overdose occur while taking levothyroxine, get emergency help immediately:

Symptoms of overdose:

• Change in consciousness
• cold, clammy skin
• confusion
• disorientation
• fast or weak pulse
• lightheadedness
• loss of consciousness
• sudden headache
• sudden loss of coordination
• sudden slurring of speech

Minor Side Effects

Some of the side effects that can occur with levothyroxine may not need medical attention. As your body adjusts to the medicine during treatment these side effects may go away. Your health care professional may also be able to tell you about ways to reduce or prevent some of these side effects. If any of the following side effects continue, are bothersome or if you have any questions about them, check with your health care professional:

Less common:

• Abdominal or stomach cramps
• change in appetite
• crying
• diarrhea
• false or unusual sense of well-being
• fear
• feeling not well or unhappy
• feeling of discomfort
• feeling of warmth
• feeling things are not real
• feelings of suspicion and distrust
• hair loss
• headache
• increased appetite
• mental depression
• muscle weakness
• nervousness
• quick to react or overreact emotionally
• rapidly changing moods
• redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally, upper chest
• restlessness
• trouble getting pregnant
• trouble sitting still
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• vomiting
• weight gain
• weight loss

Therapeutic indications

An indication is a term used for the list of condition or symptom or illness for which the medicine is prescribed or used by the patient. For example, acetaminophen or paracetamol is used for fever by the patient, or the doctor prescribes it for a headache or body pains. Now fever, headache and body pains are the indications of paracetamol. A patient should be aware of the indications of medications used for common conditions because they can be taken over the counter in the pharmacy meaning without prescription by the Physician.

Oral

Cough suppression

Adult: 60 mg tid for not >7 days.

Child: >2 yr: 1 mg/kg tid; >12 yr: 60 mg tid. Treatment duration: Not >7 days.

Name of the medicinal product

Rapitus

Special warnings and precautions for use

There are specific as well as general uses of a drug or medicine. A medicine can be used to prevent a disease, treat a disease over a period or cure a disease. It can also be used to treat the particular symptom of the disease. The drug use depends on the form the patient takes it. It may be more useful in injection form or sometimes in tablet form. The drug can be used for a single troubling symptom or a life-threatening condition. While some medications can be stopped after few days, some drugs need to be continued for prolonged period to get the benefit from it.

Rapitus is used for the treatment of non-productive cough.

Dosage (Posology) and method of administration

Oral

Cough suppression

Adult: 60 mg tid for not >7 days.

Child: >2 yr: 1 mg/kg tid; >12 yr: 60 mg tid. Treatment duration: Not >7 days.

Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction

Increased risk of extrapyramidal effects with metoclopramide, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Additive hypotensive effects with antihypertensive agents, trazodone. Additive sedative effects with CNS depressants. May alter levels/effects of CYP2D6 substrates and prodrug substrates. Reduced pressor effects of epinephrine. Reduced effects of bromocriptine, guanethidine, guanadrel, levodopa. Increased neurotoxicity with lithium (rare). Reduced serum levels with phenytoin or increased phenytoin toxicity. Increased serum concentrations with propranolol, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. Increased serum levels of valproic acid. Reduced absorption with aluminium salts. Reduced effects of amphetamines or increased risk of psychotic symptoms. Reduced effects and excessive anticholinergic effects with benztropine, trihexyphenidyl, biperiden, TCAs, antihistamines, disopyramide.

Potentially Fatal: Increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias with drugs that prolong the QT interval. Increased toxicity with MAOIs.