Sulindac

Sulindac

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Side Effects & Adverse Reactions

CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS

Cardiovascular Thrombotic Events

Clinical trials of several COX-2 selective and nonselective NSAIDs of up to three years duration have shown an increased risk of serious cardiovascular (CV) thrombotic events, myocardial infarction, and stroke, which can be fatal. All NSAIDs, both COX-2 selective and nonselective, may have a similar risk. Patients with known CV disease or risk factors for CV disease may be at greater risk. To minimize the potential risk for an adverse CV event in patients treated with an NSAID, the lowest effective dose should be used for the shortest duration possible. Physicians and patients should remain alert for the development of such events, even in the absence of previous CV symptoms. Patients should be informed about the signs and/or symptoms of serious CV events and the steps to take if they occur.

There is no consistent evidence that concurrent use of aspirin mitigates the increased risk of serious CV thrombotic events associated with NSAID use. The concurrent use of aspirin and an NSAID does increase the risk of serious GI events (see GI WARNINGS).

Two large, controlled, clinical trials of a COX-2 selective NSAID for the treatment of pain in the first 10-14 days following CABG surgery found an increased incidence of myocardial infarction and stroke (see CONTRAINDICATIONS).

Hypertension

NSAIDs, including sulindac, can lead to onset of new hypertension or worsening of preexisting hypertension, either of which may contribute to the increased incidence of CV events. Patients taking thiazides or loop diuretics may have impaired response to these therapies when taking NSAIDs. NSAIDs, including sulindac, should be used with caution in patients with hypertension. Blood pressure (BP) should be monitored closely during the initiation of NSAID treatment and throughout the course of therapy.

Congestive Heart Failure and Edema

Fluid retention and edema have been observed in some patients taking NSAIDs. Sulindac should be used with caution in patients with fluid retention or heart failure.

Gastrointestinal Effects - Risk of Ulceration, Bleeding, and Perforation

NSAIDs, including sulindac, can cause serious gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events including inflammation, bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach, small intestine, or large intestine, which can be fatal. These serious adverse events can occur at any time, with or without warning symptoms, in patients treated with NSAIDs. Only one in five patients, who develop a serious upper GI adverse event on NSAID therapy is symptomatic. Upper GI ulcers, gross bleeding, or perforation caused by NSAIDs occur in approximately 1% of patients treated for 3-6 months, and in about 2-4% of patients treated for one year. These trends continue with longer duration of use, increasing the likelihood of developing a serious GI event at some time during the course of therapy. However, even short-term therapy is not without risk.

NSAIDs should be prescribed with extreme caution in those with a prior history of ulcer disease or gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients with a prior history of peptic ulcer disease and/or gastrointestinal bleeding who use NSAIDs have a greater than 10-fold increased risk for developing a GI bleed compared to patients with neither of these risk factors. Other factors that increase the risk for GI bleeding in patients treated with NSAIDs include concomitant use of oral corticosteroids or anticoagulants, longer duration of NSAID therapy, smoking, use of alcohol, older age, and poor general health status. Most spontaneous reports of fatal GI events are in elderly or debilitated patients and therefore, special care should be taken in treating this population.

To minimize the potential risk for an adverse GI event in patients treated with an NSAID, the lowest effective dose should be used for the shortest possible duration. Patients and physicians should remain alert for signs and symptoms of GI ulceration and bleeding during NSAID therapy and promptly initiate additional evaluation and treatment if a serious GI adverse event is suspected. This should include discontinuation of the NSAID until a serious GI adverse event is ruled out. For high risk patients, alternate therapies that do not involve NSAIDs should be considered.

Hepatic Effects

In addition to hypersensitivity reactions involving the liver, in some patients the findings are consistent with those of cholestatic hepatitis (see WARNINGS, Hypersensitivity). As with other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, borderline elevations of one or more liver tests without any other signs and symptoms may occur in up to 15% of patients taking NSAIDs including sulindac. These laboratory abnormalities may progress, may remain essentially unchanged, or may be transient with continued therapy. The SGPT (ALT) test is probably the most sensitive indicator of liver dysfunction. Meaningful (3 times the upper limit of normal) elevations of SGPT or SGOT (AST) occurred in controlled clinical trials in less than 1% of patients. Notable elevations of ALT or AST (approximately three or more times the upper limit of normal) have been reported in approximately 1% of patients in clinical trials with NSAIDs. In addition, rare cases of severe hepatic reactions, including jaundice and fatal fulminant hepatitis, liver necrosis and hepatic failure, some of them with fatal outcomes have been reported.

A patient with symptoms and/or signs suggesting liver dysfunction, or in whom an abnormal liver test has occurred, should be evaluated for evidence of the development of a more severe hepatic reaction while on therapy with sulindac. Although such reactions as described above are rare, if abnormal liver tests persist or worsen, if clinical signs and symptoms consistent with liver disease develop, or if systemic manifestations occur (e.g., eosinophilia, rash, etc.), sulindac should be discontinued.

In clinical trials with sulindac, the use of doses of 600 mg/day has been associated with an increased incidence of mild liver test abnormalities (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION for maximum dosage recommendation).

Renal Effects

Long-term administration of NSAIDs has resulted in renal papillary necrosis and other renal injury. Renal toxicity has also been seen in patients in whom renal prostaglandins have a compensatory role in the maintenance of renal perfusion. In these patients, administration of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug may cause a dose-dependent reduction in prostaglandin formation and, secondarily, in renal blood flow, which may precipitate overt renal decompensation. Patients at greatest risk of this reaction are those with impaired renal function, heart failure, liver dysfunction, those taking diuretics and ACE inhibitors, patients who are volume-depleted, and the elderly. Discontinuation of NSAID therapy is usually followed by recovery to the pretreatment state.

Advanced Renal Disease

No information is available from controlled clinical studies regarding the use of sulindac in patients with advanced renal disease. Therefore, treatment with sulindac is not recommended in these patients with advanced renal disease. If sulindac therapy must be initiated, close monitoring of the patient's renal function is advisable.

Anaphylactic/Anaphylactoid Reactions

As with other NSAIDs, anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reactions may occur in patients without known prior exposure to sulindac. Sulindac should not be given to patients with the aspirin triad. This symptom complex typically occurs in asthmatic patients who experience rhinitis with or without nasal polyps, or who exhibit severe, potentially fatal bronchospasm after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs (see CONTRAINDICATIONS and PRECAUTIONS - Preexisting Asthma). Emergency help should be sought in cases where an anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reaction occurs.

Skin Reactions

NSAIDs, including sulindac, can cause serious skin adverse events such as exfoliative dermatitis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), which can be fatal. These serious events may occur without warning. Patients should be informed about the signs and symptoms of serious skin manifestations and use of the drug should be discontinued at the first appearance of skin rash or any other sign of hypersensitivity.

Hypersensitivity

Rarely, fever and other evidence of hypersensitivity (see ADVERSE REACTIONS) including abnormalities in one or more liver function tests and severe skin reactions have occurred during therapy with sulindac. Fatalities have occurred in these patients. Hepatitis, jaundice, or both, with or without fever, may occur usually within the first one to three months of therapy. Determinations of liver function should be considered whenever a patient on therapy with sulindac develops unexplained fever, rash or other dermatologic reactions or constitutional symptoms. If unexplained fever or other evidence of hypersensitivity occurs, therapy with sulindac should be discontinued. The elevated temperature and abnormalities in liver function caused by sulindac characteristically have reverted to normal after discontinuation of therapy. Administration of sulindac should not be reinstituted in such patients.

Pregnancy

In late pregnancy, as with other NSAIDs, sulindac should be avoided because it may cause premature closure of the ductus arteriosus.

Legal Issues

There is currently no legal information available for this drug.

FDA Safety Alerts

There are currently no FDA safety alerts available for this drug.

Manufacturer Warnings

There is currently no manufacturer warning information available for this drug.

FDA Labeling Changes

There are currently no FDA labeling changes available for this drug.

Uses

Carefully consider the potential benefits and risks of sulindac and other treatment options before deciding to use sulindac. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals (see WARNINGS).

Sulindac tablets are indicated for acute long-term use in the relief of signs and symptoms of the following:

  1. Osteoarthritis

  2. Rheumatoid arthritis*

  3. Ankylosing spondylitis

  4. Acute painful shoulder (Acute subacromial bursitis/supraspinatus tendinitis)

  5. Acute gouty arthritis

History

There is currently no drug history available for this drug.

Other Information

Sulindac is a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory indene derivative designated chemically as (Z)-5-fluoro-2-methyl-I-[(p-(methylsulfinyl)phenyl]methylene]-1H-indene-3-acetic acid. It is not a salicylate, pyrazolone or propionic acid derivative. Its empirical formula is C20H17FO3S, with a molecular weight of 356.42.

Sulindac, a yellow crystalline compound, is a weak organic acid practically insoluble in water below pH 4.5, but very soluble as the sodium salt or in buffers of pH 6 or higher.

Sulindac is available in 150 and 200 mg tablets for oral administration. Each tablet contains the following inactive ingredients: microcrystalline cellulose, pregelatinized starch, povidone, magnesium stearate, and sodium laurel sulfate.

Following absorption, sulindac undergoes two major biotransformations — reversible reduction to the sulfide metabolite, and irreversible oxidation to the sulfone metabolite. Available evidence indicates that the biological activity resides with the sulfide metabolite.

The structural formulas of sulindac and its metabolites are:

Molecular formula

Sulindac Manufacturers


  • State Of Florida Doh Central Pharmacy
    Sulindac Tablet [State Of Florida Doh Central Pharmacy]
  • State Of Florida Doh Central Pharmacy
    Sulindac Tablet [State Of Florida Doh Central Pharmacy]
  • State Of Florida Doh Central Pharmacy
    Sulindac Tablet [State Of Florida Doh Central Pharmacy]
  • Watson Laboratories, Inc.
    Sulindac Tablet [Watson Laboratories, Inc.]
  • Lake Erie Medical Dba Quality Care Products Llc
    Sulindac Tablet [Lake Erie Medical Dba Quality Care Products Llc]
  • Udl Laboratories, Inc.
    Sulindac Tablet [Udl Laboratories, Inc.]
  • Major Pharmaceuticals
    Sulindac Tablet [Major Pharmaceuticals]
  • Richmond Pharmaceuticals
    Sulindac Tablet [Richmond Pharmaceuticals]
  • Mutual Pharmaceutical Company, Inc.
    Sulindac Tablet [Mutual Pharmaceutical Company, Inc.]
  • Golden State Medical Supply, Inc.
    Sulindac Tablet [Golden State Medical Supply, Inc.]
  • Physicians Total Care, Inc.
    Sulindac Tablet [Physicians Total Care, Inc.]
  • H.j. Harkins Company, Inc.
    Sulindac Tablet [H.j. Harkins Company, Inc.]
  • Pd-rx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
    Sulindac Tablet [Pd-rx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.]
  • Avkare, Inc.
    Sulindac (Sulindac) Tablet [Avkare, Inc.]
  • Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc.
    Sulindac Tablet [Heritage Pharmaceuticals Inc.]
  • Stat Rx Usa Llc
    Sulindac Tablet [Stat Rx Usa Llc]
  • Aidarex Pharmaceuticals Llc
    Sulindac Tablet [Aidarex Pharmaceuticals Llc]
  • State Of Florida Doh Central Pharmacy
    Sulindac Tablet [State Of Florida Doh Central Pharmacy]
  • Bryant Ranch Prepack
    Sulindac Tablet [Bryant Ranch Prepack]
  • Epic Pharma, Llc
    Sulindac Tablet [Epic Pharma, Llc]
  • Major Pharmaceuticals
    Sulindac Tablet [Major Pharmaceuticals]
  • Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.
    Sulindac Tablet [Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.]
  • Carilion Materials Management
    Sulindac Tablet [Carilion Materials Management]
  • Carilion Materials Management
    Sulindac Tablet [Carilion Materials Management]
  • Bryant Ranch Prepack
    Sulindac Tablet [Bryant Ranch Prepack]
  • Epic Pharma, Llc
    Sulindac Tablet [Epic Pharma, Llc]

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