Mesalazine: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use

What Drug Mesalazine?

What is mesalazine for?

Mesalazine is a drug that is useful for treating certain intestinal diseases (ulcerative colitis). Ulcerative colitis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the walls of the intestinal tract.

Irritation and inflammation of the intestinal wall can interfere with the process of digestion and absorption of nutrients throughout the body. In addition, inflammation can also cause bleeding to remove pus and mucus.

This condition usually causes your colon to swell and cause a small perforation. Perforations are holes in the intestinal tissue that can allow stool to leak into the stomach. These complications can lead to life-threatening infections.

This medication helps reduce symptoms of ulcerative colitis such as diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and stomach pain.

Mesalazine belongs to a class of drugs called aminosalicylates that work by reducing swelling in the colon.

Apart from ulcerative colitis, this drug is also useful for treating Crohn's disease.

This medication may also be useful for other health problems. But what is clear, only use the drug when the doctor prescribes it.

How to use mesalazine?

Mesalazine is consumed according to its preparation, namely:

Tablets or capsules

For capsules or tablets, the drug usually needs to be taken before meals with a full glass of water. Ask your doctor how long the interval between taking medication and eating afterward.

For medicine in capsule form, you can take it with or without food. However, if it is a tablet you can take it at the same time as food to neutralize the bitter taste.

It is better if you have the medicine completely whole, do not chew it or crush it. . Destroying it can prevent the drug from reaching the maximum amount of time in the large intestine.

If you have difficulty swallowing the capsules, you can open them and sprinkle the contents on the yogurt, for example, before consumption. Then, swallow this mixture without chewing it first.

Enema

For drugs in the form of an enema, the drug can be consumed by:

1. First of all, remove the bottle from the protective packaging bag. Be careful when removing it not to squeeze or poke it
2. Shake the bottle to make sure that the medicine is evenly mixed
3. Remove the protective cap from the tip of the applicator while holding the neck of the bottle so that no medicine is spilled
4. Lie on your side with your legs straight and your right knee bent forward
5. You can also lie down with your knees on your chest
6. Carefully insert the tip of the enema applicator into the rectum
7. Press the vial gently so that it flows into the rectum
8. When enough, pull and fruit the bottle
9. Stay in the same position for about 30 minutes so that the medicine can flow to the areas where it should be

Suppository

Use suppositories in the following steps:

1. Wash your hands with soap and dry with a clean towel
2. Hold the suppository in an upright or upright condition and carefully remove the wrapper
3. Before inserting suppositories, it's best to urinate and defecate first
4. Insert the suppository rectally (pointed end first) slowly into the rectum with gentle pressure
5. So that the suppository can enter easily, use a lubricant
6. Wash your hands with soap afterward

The medicine usually stains your underwear or bed linen. To protect it, use a bandage or cushion on the sheet.

The medicine should remain in the body for 1 to 3 hours or more depending on the advice of your doctor. Try not to urinate or have a bowel movement while the suppository is still inside.

Whatever type is used, be sure to use it regularly according to the recipe given. Even if you feel better, do not stop using the drug.

Consult your doctor if you are still confused about how to use drugs in the form of enemas and suppositories.

How is mesalazine stored?

This medication is best stored at room temperature, away from direct light and damp places. Do not store in the bathroom and do not freeze.

Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules. Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or down the drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed.

Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company about how to safely dispose of your product.

Mesalazine dosage

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the dose of mesalazine for adults?

The dose given usually depends on the product used. For Asacol and Ipocol 400 mg tablet the distribution is given gradually.

Initially, your doctor will give you 2.4 grams per day in divided doses. Meanwhile, for maintenance, about 1.2 to 2.4 grams once a day or in divided doses.

For Salofalk, the initial dose given is 1.5 gr to 3 g daily in 3 divided doses, namely morning, afternoon, and evening.

Meanwhile, the initial dose of Pentasa was 4 grams per day in 2 to 4 divided doses. The maintenance dose is 2 grams per day.

What is the dose of mesalazine for children?

For children with ulcerative colitis, ipocol or salofalk is given depending on age and body weight.

For children over 6 years of age weighing 40 kg and experiencing an acute attack of ulcerative colitis, the initial dose is 30 to 50 mg / kg daily. This dose is usually divided into several doses.

Meanwhile, the maintenance dose is usually given 15 to 30 mg / kg every day in divided doses.

In what dosage is mesalazine available?

Mesalazine is available in capsules, tablets, suppositories, and enemas.

Mesalazine side effects

What side effects can be experienced due to mesalazine?

Mesalazine can cause various side effects when consumed, such as:

• Mild nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea, gas
• Fever, sore throat, or other flu symptoms
• Pain in the rectum, constipation
• Headache or dizziness
• Fatigue
• Skin rash
• Stomach ache
• Rectal bleeding
• Mild diarrhea

Stop using mesalazine and call your doctor immediately if you experience severe stomach pain, cramps, fever, headache, and bloody diarrhea.

There may be some side effects not listed above. If you want to know about side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Several side effects of mesalamine can occur and usually do not require medical attention.

These side effects can disappear during treatment because the body will gradually adjust to the medication.

In addition, the doctor will usually advise you on how to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

However, if there are things that you feel unnatural while taking the drug, do not delay to consult a doctor. The doctor will help find out the root of the problem. If the medicine is not suitable for you, the doctor will look for other alternatives.

Mesalazine Drug Warnings and Cautions

What should be known before using mesalazine?

Before using mesalazine, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you:

• Have allergy to mesalazine, balsalazide (Colazal, Giazo) olsalazine (Dipentum) pain relievers salicylates such as aspirin, magnesium choline trisalicylate, diflunisal, magnesium salicylate (Doan's, and others) sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), other drugs, or any ingredient inside Mesalazine
• Are or plan to take prescription and nonprescription drugs such as vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products
• Your doctor may need to change the dose of your medication or watch you more carefully for side effects
• Have had myocarditis (swelling of the heart muscle), pericarditis (swelling of the pouch around the heart), or liver or kidney disease
• If you are going to take tablets or capsules delayed-release, tell your doctor if you have ever had gastrointestinal problems (blockage in the stomach or intestines)
• Are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking Mesalazine, call your doctor.

Mesalazine can also cause serious reactions. The symptoms of this reaction are similar to those of ulcerative colitis. Therefore, it may be difficult to distinguish which is an incompatible reaction from a man which is not.

However, the negative reactions can tend to be more severe than usual. If you experience abdominal pain or cramps, bloody diarrhea, fever, headache, lethargy and a rash, call your doctor immediately.

exposed to phenylketonuria (PKU, an inherited condition in which you have to be on a special diet to prevent mental retardation), you should know that the extende release capsule contains aspartame which forms phenylalanine.

Is mesalazine safe for pregnant and lactating women?

There are no adequate studies regarding the risks of using this drug in pregnant or breastfeeding women.

Always consult your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before using this medication. This medicine is considered a pregnancy risk category B according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The following references the pregnancy risk categories according to the FDA:

• A = No risk,
• B = not at risk in several studies,
• C = May be risky,
• D = There is positive evidence of risk,
• X = Contraindicated,
• N = Unknown

In experiments conducted on animals, no adverse effects appeared in both fertility, reproduction and breastfeeding.

However, pregnant and lactating women still need to be careful about taking mesalazine. This means that drugs should only be consumed according to a doctor's recommendation Medicines should only be used if the benefits outweigh the risks.

However, if the baby experiences diarrhea after being breastfed while the mother is taking mesalazine, consult a doctor immediately.

Mesalazine Drug Interactions

What medicines may interact with mesalazine?

Drug interactions may change how medications work or increase the risk of serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions.

Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription / nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change your dose without your doctor's approval.

The drug that may interact negatively with mesalazine is warfarin.

Can food or alcohol interact with mesalazine?

Certain drugs cannot be used with meals or when eating certain foods because drug interactions can occur.

Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with a healthcare professional about using drugs with food, alcohol, or cigarettes.

What health conditions can interact with mesalazine?

The presence of other drug problems may affect the use of this drug. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Allergic aminosalicylates or salicylates (eg aspirin) - should not be used in patients with these conditions
• Sulfasalazine allergy (Azulfidine ®) —may worsen side effects
• Having had or are having kidney disease, the side effects may be increased due to the slower disposal of the drug from the body
• Liver disease
• Have or are currently having myocarditis
• Have or are currently having pericarditis
• Phenylketonuria (PKU) —Apriso ™ Capsules
• Pyloric stenosis (the tube through which food passes out of the stomach is too narrow)
• Blockage in the stomach or intestines — may delay the release of mesalazine into the body

Therefore, it is important to consult a doctor before taking mesalazine. Do not just take medication, let alone other people, just because you have the same condition.

Mesalazine overdose

What should I do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (112) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Overdose is very possible if you take more than the recommended dose of mesalazine.

The signs when a person has a drug overdose are:

• Difficulty breathing
• Ringing in ears
• Dazed
• Breath is fast and shallow
• Seizures

Be sure to follow the drinking rules your doctor prescribes. Taking more doses of the drug at one time does not necessarily make the disease heal faster.

Overdose can be life threatening if not treated immediately. For this reason, it is very important to go to the emergency room immediately when symptoms of an overdose appear.

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you forget a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, when it is nearing the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to the usual dosing schedule. Do not double your dose in one shot because you risk an overdose.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.