INDICATIONS
EXELON
PA TC H
(rivastigmine transdermal system) and EXELON (rivastigmine tartrate) capsules
are prescription medicines used to treat people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s dementia and
mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease dementia (PDD).
Persons who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease for at least 2 years and in whom other
causes of dementia have been ruled out may have PDD if they experience trouble with the following:
executive function (l.e. remembering things, solving problems, and planning), memory retrieval,
and attention.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
EXELON should not be used if the patient is allergic to rivastigmine or any of the other
ingredients of EXELON, or has had an allergic reaction to a similar type of medicine.
Speak to the doctor before using EXELON.
Mistakes in using EXELON
PATC H
have resulted in serious side effects; some cases have required
hospitalization, and rarely, led to death. Most mistakes have involved not removing the old patch
when putting on a new one and the use of multiple patches at one time. Only one EXELON
PATC H
should be worn at a time. If you accidentally apply more EXELON
PATC H ES
than you should,
remove ail EXELON
PATCH ES
and inform the doctor immediately.
At higher than recommended doses, EXELON
PATCH
is associated with significant stomach
related side effects such as: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, and weight loss.
EXELON capsules have been associated with significant stomach related side effects including
nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, and weight loss. For this reason, people should always
start at the low dose. After a minimum of four weeks of treatment, and if well tolerated, the
doctor may increase the dose to the next level, tf you have not taken EXELON for more than
three days, do not start taking it again until you have talked to a doctor.
In a study, the most common side effects with EXELON
P A TC H
were nausea, vomiting,
and diarrhea. The most common side effects in studies with EXELON capsules were nausea,
vomiting, decreased appetite, indigestion and weakness in Alzheimer’s dementia, and nausea,
vomiting, tremor, decreased appetite, and dizziness in Parkinson's disease dementia.
People at risk for stomach ulcers or who take certain medicines should tell their doctor
before starting EXELON, because serious stomach problems such as bleeding may occur.
People with certain heart conditions should tell their doctor before starting EXELON because
they may experience fainting or slow heart rate. People with serious lung conditions and difficulty
breathing, bladder problems, seizures, or tremors should consult their doctor before using EXELON
therapy. In studies for Parkinson s disease dementia, parkinsonian symptoms, particularly tremor,
occurred or worsened in some people taking EXELON capsules. People on EXELON who
feel dizzy or drowsy should not drive or use machines.
Weight should be checked while the person
is using EXELON. Weight ioss/loss of appetite
may occur. People below 50 kg, or 110 lbs, may
experience more side effects and may have to
stop using EXELON due to these side effects.
Tell the doctor about all other prescription or
nonprescription medicines the patient is taking.
EXELON should not be taken at the same time
with other medicines that have a similar effect
on the body and the brain (cholinomimetic
agents) or with anticholinergic medicines.
Inform the doctor if the patient needs surgery
requiring anesthesia while using EXELON,
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA,
Visit www.fda.gov/MedWatch or call 1-800-FDA-10S8.
Novartis is proud to offer Patient Assistance Now, an easy-to-use, comprehensive resource
that allows you to access programs that may help you pay for your Novartis medicines.
Please see Brief Summary of Important Product Information on adjacent page.
EXELON'ÄMC//
(rivastigmine transdermal system)
for the treatment of mild to
moderate alzheim er's disease
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