Galantamine Hydrobromide, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: cholinesterase inhibitor

Generic and brand names: galantamine hydrobromide, oral; Razadyne; Razadyne ER

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is taken by mouth to treat dementia (loss of mental abilities) caused by Alzheimer's disease. It is not a cure, but it may slow the progress of the disease and may improve memory.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• an enlarged prostate gland or trouble urinating
• an ulcer or intestinal bleeding
• heart disease or an irregular heartbeat
• kidney problems
• liver problems
• lung disease such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• seizures.

Tell your healthcare provider if you smoke or drink alcohol. Alcohol and smoking may increase the risk of ulcers or stomach bleeding. Also be sure to let your provider know if you are taking medicines such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), aspirin, or products containing aspirin.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without talking with your healthcare provider.

How do I take it?

Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. This medicine must be taken regularly every day to be effective. Your healthcare provider will start you on a low dose and gradually increase the dose.

This medicine may come in different forms, including tablets, extended-release tablets, and liquid. If you have extended-release tablets, do not break, crush, or chew them. Swallow them whole. Ask your pharmacist if you have the extended-release tablets.

Take this medicine with meals to lessen the chance the drug will upset your stomach. Drink plenty of water while you are taking this medicine.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure of what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your healthcare provider. If you miss several doses, the dosage must be started at a low level again and gradually increased to its previous level.

What should I watch out for?

If you need emergency care, surgery, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine. It may increase the action of drugs they may give you to relax your muscles.

This medicine may make you feel drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive or operate machinery unless you are fully alert. Do not drink alcohol while you are taking this medicine.

Occasionally, this medicine may cause bleeding, ulcers, or perforation of the stomach, small intestine, or large intestine. These problems may occur with or without warning symptoms. If you have abdominal pain, a black tarry stool, or a bloody stool, stop taking this medicine and contact your healthcare provider right away.

If nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea become a problem during treatment with this medicine, your healthcare provider can prescribe some medicine to help.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider immediately, get emergency medical care, or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives, itching, rash, tightness in your chest, swelling of your tongue or throat, trouble breathing); vomiting material that looks like coffee grounds; black, bloody, or tarry stools; seizures; fainting.

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Slow or irregular heartbeat, trouble urinating, blood in the urine, black or tarry stools, severe stomach cramps.

Other: Nausea, dizziness, vomiting, trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss, drowsiness, diarrhea, nervousness.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• antibiotics such as erythromycin (Erythrocin, EES, E-Mycin, EryPed, Ery-Tab), clarithromycin (Biaxin), and rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
• anticholinergic medicines such as atropine (Atropisol, Isopto Atropine), benztropine (Cogentin), clidinium and chlordiazepoxide (Clindex, Librax), dicyclomine (Bentyl), hyoscyamine (Levbid, Levsin), combinations (Barbidonna, Donnatal, Kapectolin PG, Relaxadon), oxybutynin (Ditropan), procyclidine (Kemadrin), propantheline (Pro-Banthine), scopolamine (Isopto Hyoscine, Scopace, Transderm Scop), tolterodine (Detrol), glycopyrrolate (Robinul), trimethobenzamide (Tigan), and trihexyphenidyl (Artane)
• antiseizure medicines such as carbamazepine (Tegretol) and phenytoin (Dilantin)
• aspirin or other salicylates
• bethanechol (Urecholine)
• cimetidine (Tagamet)
• digoxin (Lanoxin)
• donepezil (Aricept)
• ginkgo
• ketoconazole (Nizoral)
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, Nuprin), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), indomethacin (Indocin), diflunisal (Dolobid), etodolac (Lodine), diclofenac (Voltaren, Cataflam), and sulindac (Clinoril)
• quinidine
• SSRI antidepressants such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Prozac Weekly, Sarafem), fluvoxamine, and paroxetine (Paxil, Paxil CR), and sertraline (Zoloft)
• tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, nortriptyline (Pamelor, Aventyl), imipramine (Tofranil), and doxepin (Sinequan).

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or drug interactions with other medicines, Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.