Lokelma 5 G 30 Sachets

Description

Lokelma contains the active substance sodium zirconium cyclosilicate. Lokelma is used to treat hyperkalaemia in adults. Hyperkalaemia means that there is a high level of potassium in the blood. Lokelma lowers the high levels of potassium in your body and helps to keep it at a normal level. As Lokelma passes through your stomach and gut it attaches to potassium and the two are carried together out of the body in your stools, lowering the amount of potassium in the body. How to use How much to take Starting dose - to lower your high potassium level to normal: The recommended dose is 10 g taken three times a day. The medicine takes one to two days to work. Do not take this starting dose for more than three days. Maintenance dose - to keep your potassium level within the normal range after it has been lowered: The recommended dose is 5 g taken once a day. Your doctor may decide that you need more (10 g once a day) or less than this (5 g every other day). Do not take a maintenance dose of more than 10 g once a day. If you are on haemodialysis therapy: Take Lokelma only on non-dialysis days. The recommended starting dose is 5 g taken once a day. Your doctor may decide that you need more (up to 15 g once a day). Do not take more than 15 g once a day. Taking this medicine Try to take Lokelma at the same time each day. You can take this medicine with or without meal. How to take Open the sachet and pour the powder into a drinking glass with approximately 45 ml of still (non-carbonated) water. Stir well and drink the tasteless liquid straight away. The powder does not dissolve and the liquid appears cloudy. The powder will settle in the glass quickly. If this happens, stir the liquid again and drink it all up. Rinse the glass with more water and drink it all up to take all the medicine. Warnings and precautions Do not take Lokelma If you are allergic to the active substance. Warnings and precautions Monitoring Your doctor or nurse will check your blood potassium level when you start taking this medicine: This is to make sure you are getting the correct dose. The dose may be raised or lowered based on your blood potassium level. Treatment may be stopped if your blood potassium level becomes too low. While you are taking Lokelma, tell your doctor or nurse if You need to have an X-ray, as Lokelma may affect the interpretation of the results. You have sudden or severe pain in your abdomen as this may be a sign of a problem that is observed with other medications that work in the gastrointestinal tract. Side Effects Tell your doctor or nurse if you experience any of the following: Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people). you start to feel tired, or have muscle weakness or cramps, this may be a sign that your blood potassium has become too low. Talk to your doctor immediately if these symptoms become severe. you start to have a build up of fluid in the tissues, leading to swelling anywhere in your body (usually in the feet and ankles). Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data). you start to have abdominal pain or discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation. you start to have itching of the skin or recognise redness or scaling of your skin. Storage Information Store Below 30 C. Drug Interactions In particular, tell them about any medicines which can change your blood potassium levels because your dose of Lokelma may need to be changed. These include: Diuretics (medicines that increase urine production) Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors such as enalapril, and angiotensin receptor blockers which name ends with sartan (medicines for high blood pressure and for heart problems) Renin inhibitors such as aliskiren (for high blood pressure) Also, tell your doctor or nurse if you are taking any of the following: Tacrolimus (medicines used to suppress your body’s immune system to prevent organ transplant rejection) Ketoconazole, itraconazole and posaconazole (used to treat fungal infections) Atazanavir, nelfinavir, indinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, raltegravir, ledipasvir and rilpivirine (used to treat HIV infection) Tyrosin kinase inhibitors such as erlotinib, dasatinib and nilotinib (used to treat cancer) Ingredients The active substance is sodium zirconium cyclosilicate.