What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Persantin Ampoule.
It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have benefits and risks. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you using Persantin against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about your medicine or if you have any concerns about being treated with Persantin.
This leaflet was last updated on the date at the end of this leaflet. More recent information may be available. The latest Consumer Medicine Information is available from your pharmacist, doctor, or from www.medicines.org.au and may contain important information about the medicine and its use of which you should be aware.
Keep this leaflet.
You may need to read it again later.
What Persantin Ampoule is used for
Persantin is a heart medicine. It is used as a tool in detecting potential problems on how the heart functions in times of stress. It is therefore useful in predicting the likelihood of the risks of heart disease.
Persantin increases blood flow to the heart by causing the blood-supplying arteries to widen.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine is being given to you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
Before you are given Persantin Ampoule
When you should not be given it
You should not be given Persantin if you have an allergy to:
any medicine containing dipyridamole
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
shortness of breath
wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
rash, itching or hives on the skin.
You should not be given this medicine in states of shock or collapse.
You should not be given this medicine if you have any serious heart conditions such as:
heart attack or failure
angina
abnormal changes in rhythm or rate of the heart beat (irregular, fast or slow)
heart valve problems
blockage of the lung artery
inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), inner lining of the heart (endocarditis) or membrane enclosing the heart (pericarditis)
tear in the wall of the aorta (major artery in the body).
You should not be given this medicine if you are pregnant.
It may affect your developing baby if you have it during pregnancy.
Do not breast-feed if you are given this medicine.
The active ingredient in Persantin passes into breast milk.
This medicine should not be given to a child.
There is limited information about the use of Persantin Ampoule in children.
Persantin must not be used after the expiry date printed on the pack or ampoule or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
If you are not sure whether you should be given this medicine, talk to your doctor.
Before you are given it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
any heart condition or heart disease
asthma
high or low blood pressure
unexplained fainting or mini-stroke
severe muscle disease (myasthenia gravis).
If you are uncertain as to whether you have, or have had, any of these conditions you should tell your doctor.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding.
Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you are given Persantin.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and Persantin may interfere with each other.
In particular tell your doctor if you are taking:
aspirin
any medicine containing dipyridamole (e.g. Persantin® tablets, Persantin® SR or Asasantin® SR capsules)
medicines used to thin your blood such as warfarin
medicines used to treat asthma, bronchitis and emphysema such as theophylline
medicines used to treat high blood pressure
neostigmine, distigmine and related medicines (used, for example, in the treatment of myasthenia gravis)
medicines used to treat rapid heart rhythm such as adenosine.
These medicines may be affected by Persantin or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while being given this medicine.
Avoid drinks such as tea, coffee and cola (which contain caffeine) for 24 hours before treatment with Persantin Ampoule.
This is because the caffeine in these drinks can decrease the effects of the medicine.
How Persantin Ampoule is given
How it is given
Persantin Ampoule is given as an infusion (drip) into your veins, over several minutes.
How much is given
Your doctor will decide what dose you will receive, based on your body weight.
PERFUSION IMAGING:
The recommended dose is 0.14 mg/kg/min (0.56 mg/kg total) infused over 4 minutes.
STRESS ECHO TESTING:
The recommended dose is 0.56 mg/kg over a 4 minute period, followed by 4 minutes of no dose, and if echo monitoring shows no changes, by an additional 0.28 mg/kg over 2 minutes. The cumulative dosage is 0.84 mg/kg over 10 minutes. The protocol may also be given in 6 minutes.
If you have too much (overdose)
As Persantin Ampoule is given to you under the supervision of your doctor, it is very unlikely that you will receive too much.
Symptoms of an overdose may include feeling warm, flushing, sweating, restlessness, weakness and dizziness. There may be effects on the heart and circulation causing chest pain, an increase in pulse rate and a drop in blood pressure.
Tell your doctor or nurse immediately if you experience any signs of overdose, or, if you are not in hospital, go to the Emergency department at your nearest hospital.
You may need urgent medical attention.
While you are being given Persantin Ampoule
Things you must do
Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who treat you that you have been given this medicine.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being given Persantin Ampoule.
All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor or nurse to answer any questions you may have.
Some of the side effects of Persantin are related to the way the medicine works on the heart and circulation. Persantin causes widening of the arteries and if these widen too much there may be a fall in blood pressure which may cause problems with the blood circulation. These side effects include:
angina
heart attack
heart failure
stroke or mini-stroke
changes in heart beat (faster, slower or irregular).
The following side effects have also been reported with Persantin:
headache
vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea
muscle aches and pains
dizziness
stomach pain
tingling or numbness of the hands or feet
hot flushes
allergic reactions (such as rash, hives, difficulty in breathing, and swelling of the face, lips, mouth etc)
fits/convulsions
sudden collapse.
Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you experience any side effects during or after treatment with Persantin Ampoule, so that these may be properly treated.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
You should tell your doctor or nurse if you notice anything unusual, during or after treatment with Persantin Ampoule.
Product Description
What it looks like
Persantin Ampoule is a clear, yellow solution. It comes in a glass ampoule.
Ingredients
Each Persantin Ampoule contains 10mg of dipyridamole as the active ingredient in 2mL of solution. It also contains tartaric acid, macrogol 600, hydrochloric acid and water for injection.
