INTRODUCTION

TRENTAL contains Pentoxifylline which belongs to the group of medicines called Peripheral vasodilators. It is used in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease (poor blood circulation to the arms and legs) and intermittent claudication (pain while walking or at rest due to poor circulation to the legs). Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is a blood circulation disorder that causes the blood vessels outside of your heart and brain to narrow, block, or spasm and it occurs mostly in legs. Symptoms include leg weakness and numbness, painful cramp in hips, thighs or calf muscles after activities like walking or climbing stairs and cool skin around lower leg or foot.

Pentoxifylline works by decreasing the thickness (viscosity) of blood and allowing it to pass more easily through the blood vessels. This effect is useful in peripheral vascular disease, where the blood vessels in the arms and legs are narrowed.

TRENTAL is not recommended for use in patients who have heart problems or recently had a heart attack, severe palpitations (very fast and uneven heartbeats), stroke with bleeding in the brain (cerebral hemorrhage), and bleeding in the eye (retinal hemorrhage). Before taking TRENTAL inform your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. It is not recommended for use in children and adolescents (under 18 years of age) and it should be used with caution in elderly patients (aged 65 years and above). The most common side effects of taking TRENTAL are bloating, diarrhea, flushing, nausea, stomach discomfort, and vomiting. Contact your physician if any of the symptoms worsen.

USES OF TRENTAL

Treats:

• peripheral vascular disease (poor circulation to the arms and legs)
• intermittent claudication (pain while walking or at rest due to poor circulation to the legs)

HOW TRENTAL WORKS

TRENTAL works by decreasing the thickness (viscosity) of blood and allowing it to pass more easily through the blood vessels. This effect is useful in peripheral vascular disease, where the blood vessels in the arms and legs are narrowed.

DIRECTIONS FOR USE

Take TRENTAL as advised by your physician. Swallow the medicines with a glass of water. Do not crush or chew the medicine. Your physician will decide the correct dose and duration for you depending upon your age, body weight and disease condition.

SIDE EFFECTS OF TRENTAL

HOW TO MANAGE SIDE EFFECTS

Nausea or vomiting:

Take this medicine with, or just after meals. Stick to simple meals. Avoid eating oil-rich or spicy foods. Contact your doctor if nausea and vomiting did not improve.

Diarrhoea:

Drink lot of fluids, such as water or fruit juices to keep you hydrated. Do not take any medicine on your own for treating diarrhea. Contact your doctor if your diarrhoea did not improve.

Stomach pain:

Try to take rest and relax. Eat and drink slowly or try to have smaller and frequent meals. Keep a heat pad on your stomach. If the symptom does not improve, contact your doctor.

Dizziness:

Try to rest and relax. Get enough sleep. Avoid driving or operate any machines while you are feeling dizzy. Do not drink alcohol, as it can aggravate your dizziness. Contact your doctor if your dizziness did not improve.

WARNING & PRECAUTIONS

INTERACTIONS

A. Drug-Drug interactions:

Before taking TRENTAL, inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:

• medicines used to treat diabetes (Ex. metformin or insulin)
• medicines used for high blood pressure (Ex. nifedipine, amlodipine, captopril)
• medicines used to treat or prevent blood clots (Ex. warfarin)
• medicines used to treat pain (Ex. ketorolac)
• medicines used to treat wheezing or difficulty in breathing (Ex. theophylline)
• medicines used to treat bacterial infections (Ex. ciprofloxacin)
• medicines used to treat heartburn and stomach ulcers (Ex. cimetidine)

Overdosage:

If you or anyone else accidentally take too much of TRENTAL, consult your doctor immediately or visit the nearby hospital. The symptoms of overdosage are low blood pressure, feeling sleepy, fits (seizures), or uneven heartbeat.

SYNOPSIS

MORE INFORMATION

• Keep TRENTAL out of reach of children
• Store at a temperature, not more than 25°C

FAQs ABOUT TRENTAL

Can I stop taking TRENTAL if I feel better?

No, you should not stop taking TRENTAL without the advice of your doctor. After feeling better, if stopped taking suddenly by your own, it may increase the risk of pain to recur and become even worse. Consult your doctor if you feel better or want to stop.

What is the use of TRENTAL?

TRENTAL is used to treat peripheral vascular disease (poor circulation to the arms and legs) and intermittent claudication (pain on walking or at rest caused by poor circulation to the legs). Contact your doctor before taking TRENTAL.

What are the symptoms of overdosage of TRENTAL?

The symptoms of overdosage are low blood pressure, feeling sleepy, fits (seizures), or uneven heartbeat. If you or anyone else accidentally take too much of TRENTAL, consult your doctor immediately or visit the nearby hospital.

When not to use TRENTAL?

TRENTAL is not recommended for use in patients with allergic history to pentoxifylline, other similar medicines such as theophylline or aminophylline, caffeine, theobromine, during pregnancy and who have heart problems or recently had a heart attack, severe palpitations (very fast and uneven heartbeats), stroke with bleeding in the brain (cerebral hemorrhage), bleeding in the eye (retinal haemorrhage), and including children. Contact your doctor before taking TRENTAL.

Is it safe to take TRENTAL in patients having diabetes?

The effect of medicines used to treat diabetes (such as metformin or insulin) may alter if taken along with TRENTAL. Before taking TRENTAL inform your doctor if you are taking medicines including prescription medicines, OTC drugs, vitamins and herbal supplements.

REFERENCES

1. Thomas Eschenhagen. Treatment of Ischemic Heart Disease. Goodman & Gilman’s: The Pharmacological basics of Therapeutics. 13th Edition. New York McGraw Hill Medical 2018. Page – 489-506.

2. E. Ernst. Pentoxifylline for Intermittent Claudication: A Critical Review. Journal of Angiology. May 1994. [Accessed on 8th June 2022] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000331979404500502

3. Pavan Annamaraju, Krishna M. Baradhi. Pentoxifylline. NIH. National Library of Medicine, National center for biotechnology information. May 2022 [Accessed on 8th June 2022] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK559096/

4. Sanofi S.r.l. Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC). [Revised in September 2021]. [Accessed on 8th June 2022] https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.909.pdf

5. Sanofi-Aventis. US Food and Drug Administration. [Revised in July 2010]. [Accessed on 8th June 2022] https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2012/018631s039lbl.pdf

USEFUL DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

• Liver function test