Ventavis

What is Ventavis?

Ventavis is a synthetic prostacyclin. Ventavis works by opening the blood vessels of the lungs.Ventavis is a prescription medication used for adults suffering from severe hypertension of the pulmonary artery. The condition PAH occurs when the blood pressure in the vessels that connect the heart to the lungs is excessively high.

Ventavis may temporarily relieve your symptoms and improve your ability to exercise.Ventavis was not studied in children under 18 years of age.

Warnings

Tell your doctor before using Ventavis if you suffer from liver, kidney, or heart diseases, low blood pressure, COPD, asthma, or have a chest infection with cough.

Inhaling Ventavis is normally administered 6–9 times daily. You should never space your doses less than two hours apart. This is true even if the medication seems to have worn off within less than that time.Ventavis is only compatible with the I-neb AAD System or the Prodose AAD System. Ventavis should not be used with other types of nebulizers. Your nebulizer will be demonstrated to you at home.

Ventavis can impair thinking and reactions. You should be careful when driving or doing anything else that requires alertness. You may get dizzy if you stand up quickly from a seated or lying position. To avoid falling, get up slowly.

Before you take this drug

Tell your doctor about any of the following to ensure that Ventavis will be safe for you:

• Liver disease
• Kidney disease
• Low blood pressure
• Asthma
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

You should not stop or start taking this medication without consulting your doctor. PAH can cause serious complications for the mother, such as heart failure or stroke. It is possible that PAH can cause pregnancy complications for the mother, such as heart failure, stroke, premature birth, or miscarriage. Treatment of PAH can be beneficial to both mother and baby.

Ventavis should not be used while breastfeeding.

How to take Ventavis?

Follow the instructions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Read all the instructions and directions that come with your prescription. Sometimes your doctor will change the dose.Ventavis is not to be swallowed. This product is only to be used with a nebulizer.

Only the I-neb AAD System should be used with Ventavis. Ventavis should not be used with other types of nebulizers.Please read and follow all instructions for use that come with your medication. If you don't understand the instructions, ask your pharmacist or doctor.

Ventavis can be taken 6–9 times daily. Do not forget to follow your doctor's instructions.You should never space your doses less than two hours apart. This is true even if the medication seems to have worn off within less than that time.Every ampule is only for a single use. After one use, throw it out, even if the medicine is still inside.Keep the temperature of the room under control by avoiding heat and moisture sources.

Details on dosage

Adult dose for pulmonary hypertension:

Initial dose: Inhale 2.5 mcg orally, if tolerated. Increase to 5 mcg if tolerated. Maintain this dose.
Maintenance dose: 2, 5, or 5 mcg orally inhaled 6 to 9 times per day. No more than one every two hours when awake.
Maximum dose: 45 mcg/day (5 mcg/dose, 9 times per day).
Comment: Do not initiate therapy for those with a systolic pressure less than 85 mmhg.
The treatment of PAH (WHO Group 1) is intended to improve exercise tolerance and symptoms as measured by the New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class while preventing deterioration. The majority of patients in studies demonstrating effectiveness had NYHA functional Class III-IV symptoms and were idiopathic/heritable PAH (65%) or PAH with connective tissue diseases (23%).

What happens if I miss the dose?

If you are almost due for the next dose, skip the dose that was missed. Never take two doses of the same medicine at once.

What happens if I overdose?

Call 1-800-222-1222 for poison help or seek immediate medical attention.Symptoms of an overdose include nausea, dizziness, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, or redness on your face.

Avoid this

Do not drive or engage in hazardous activities until you have determined how the medicine affects you. You may have impaired reactions. You may get dizzy if you stand up quickly from a seated or lying position.

Do not allow anyone to inhale this medicine while you inhale your own dose. This is especially true for babies.Do not get this medicine in your eyes or on your body. Rinse with water if this happens.

Side effects of Ventavis

If you experience any of the following symptoms of an allergy to Ventavis, seek immediate medical attention: itching, difficulty breathing, swelling in your lips, face, throat, or tongue.If you experience:

• A feeling of lightheadedness, as if you could pass out.
• If you feel your heart pounding or feel a flutter in your chest, then this is what it means.
• You may experience pain in the jaw or tightness.
• Unusual bleeding (nosebleeds, bleeding gums);
• Pneumonia: fever, chills with mucus in the cough, chest pain, and a feeling of shortness of breath.
• Fluid buildup around or in the lungs causes a feeling of shortness of breath when lying down. Wheezing, gasping, a foamy cough, cold skin, and a rapid heartbeat Anxiety.

Ventavis can cause a variety of side effects.

• Increased cough and blood in the cough;
• Pounding heartbeats;
• Feeling lightheaded due to low blood pressure
• Flu symptoms
• Flushing (warmth or redness);
• Headache;
• Abnormal liver function tests
• Nausea, vomiting;
• Back pain, muscle cramps
• If you have difficulty chewing, speaking, or experiencing pain in your jaw, or if it is tight or painful, this could be a sign of tongue pain.
• Sleep problems (insomnia).

There may be other side effects. For medical advice on side effects, call your doctor. Report side effects by calling the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Interaction with other drug

Inform your doctor of all the other medications you take, including:

• Blood pressure medications
• A blood thinner, such as Warfarin( Coumadin or Jantoven);
• Among others, these medications include clopidogrel, rivaroxaban, Plavix Xarelto, and many more.

The list below is not exhaustive. Iloprost may also interact with other drugs, such as prescription or over-the-counter medicines and vitamin and herb products. This list does not include all drug interactions.