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ranolazine

Generic Name: ranolazine (ruh NO luh zeen)
Brand Names: Ranexa

What is this drug?

Ranolazine is an anti-anginal medication. It works by improving blood flow to help the heart work more efficiently.

Ranolazine is used to chronic treat angina (chest pain) when other medications have not helped the condition.

Ranolazine may also be used for purposes other than those listed here.

What is the most important information I should know about this drug?

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

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 should I discuss with my health care provider before taking this drug?

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

How should I take this drug?

Take ranolazine exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take it in larger doses or for longer than recommended by your doctor.

Ranolazine may be taken with or without food.

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.

To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your heart function will need to be tested with an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) on a regular basis. It is important that you not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Symptoms of a ranolazine overdose may include nausea, vomiting, numbness or tingling, dizziness, blurred vision, or confusion.

What should I avoid while taking this drug?

Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while you are taking ranolazine. Grapefruit can interact with ranolazine in your body and cause serious side effects.

This drug side effects

• seizure (convulsions);

• feeling light-headed, fainting;

• swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;

• fast or pounding heartbeats;

• tremors or shaking;

• numbness or tingly feeling;

• blood in your urine; or

• shortness of breath.

Other less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:

• dizziness, headache, blurred vision;

• dry mouth;

• nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation;

• weakness;

• ringing in your ears.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect this drug?

Before taking ranolazine, tell your doctor if you are using:

• diltiazem (Cardizem, Tiazac);

• ketoconazole (Nizoral);

• cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf);

• antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), imipramine (Tofranil);

• simvastatin (Zocor);

• digoxin (Lanoxin);

• medicine to treat a mental illness, such as thioridazine (Mellaril), ziprasidone (Geodon);

• heart rhythm medicine such as quinidine (Cardioquin, Quinidex, Quinaglute), dofetilide (Tikosyn), sotalol (Betapace, Sorine);

• verapamil (Verelan, Calan, Isoptin, Covera);

• antibiotics such as erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab, clarithromycin (Biaxin), azithromycin (Zithromax), or troleandomycin (Tao); or

• HIV medicines such as amprenavir (Agenerase), tipranavir (Aptivus), indinavir (Crixivan), saquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase), lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), ritonavir (Norvir), atazanavir (Reyataz), or nelfinavir (Viracept).

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect ranolazine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist has more information about ranolazine written for health professionals that you may read.

What does my medication look like?

Ranolazine is available with a prescription under the brand name Ranexa. Other brand or generic forms may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.

• Ranexa 500 mg--light orange, oblong-shaped, film-coated extended-release tablets

• Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
• Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ("Multum") is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum"s drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum"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. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum 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.