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Brand Name: Esperal
Manufactured: Sanofi-Aventis
Active Ingredients: Disulfiram
Therapeutic actions: Disulfiram produces a sensitivity to alcohol which results in a highly unpleasant reaction when the patient under treatment ingests even small amounts of alcohol.
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| DRUGS |
FORM |
Q-TY |
PRICE |
ORDER |
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| Esperal 500 mg |
Tablet |
20 |
18.53 $ |
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What is it used for?
Disulfiram is used to treat chronic alcoholism. It causes unpleasant effects when even small amounts of alcohol are consumed. These effects include flushing of the face, headache, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, weakness, blurred vision, mental confusion, sweating, choking, breathing difficulty, and anxiety. These effects begin about 10 minutes after alcohol enters the body and last for 1 hour or more. Disulfiram is not a cure for alcoholism, but discourages drinking.
Contraindications and cautions:
Before taking disulfiram,
• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to disulfiram or any other drugs.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially amitriptyline (Elavil), anticoagulants ('blood thinners') such as warfarin (Coumadin), isoniazid, metronidazole (Flagyl), phenytoin (Dilantin), any nonprescription drugs that might contain alcohol, and vitamins.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had diabetes, thyroid disease, epilepsy, brain damage, or kidney or liver disease.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking disulfiram, call your doctor.
• if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking disulfiram.
• you should know that this drug may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you.
Side effects:
Disulfiram may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
• skin rash
• acne
• mild headache
• drowsiness
• tiredness
• impotence
• metallic taste or garlic-like taste in the mouth
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
• excessive tiredness
• weakness
• lack of energy
• loss of appetitie
• upset stomach
• vomiting
• yellowness of the skin or eyes
• dark urine
Interactions: Tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Due to drug-related reaction, disulfiram should not be combined with alcohol, in any form.
Combination with isoniazid induces behavioral and coordination disorders; combination with nitro-5-imidazole (metronidazole and related medication) results in acute delirium and confusion; combination with phenytoin leads to its elevated blood levels to the toxic levels. Concomitant administration with other hepatotoxic medication increases the risk of hepatotoxicity.
Disulfiram may promote anticoagulant effect of warfarin and related medication and, consequently, increase the risk of bleeding. Due to inhibition of theophylline metabolism, when the drug is combined with disulfiram, reduction of theophylline daily dose is necessitated. Disulfiram inhibits oxidative metabolism, thus, potentiating the sedative effect of benzodiazepine preparations, while tricyclic antidepressants potentiate anti-abuse action of disulfiram.
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