Ambrisentan
Description
Ambrisentan is a medicine used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (high blood pressure that affects the blood vessels carrying blood from the heart to the lungs). It works by blocking the action of a chemical substance in your body that causes narrowing of the blood vessels.
Ambrisentan may cause side effects like flushing, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, fast heartbeat, headache, low red blood cell count, etc. Consult your doctor if these side effects bother you for a longer time or worsen. Avoid taking this medicine if you are allergic to it.
Ambrisentan can be taken with or without food. Take it in the dose and duration prescribed by your doctor. Do not take more than the recommended dose as it can increase the risk of side effects. Continue taking this medicine for the recommended duration for best results. Do not discontinue the treatment without consulting your doctor, as it may worsen your condition.
Ambrisentan may not be suitable for everyone. It is not recommended for use in children and adolescents. Inform your doctor about your existing health problems and ongoing medications to make sure this medicine is safe for you. Ambrisentan is unsafe for use during pregnancy as it can cause harm to the developing foetus. Consult your doctor before taking this medicine if you are breastfeeding.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Ambrisentan
- Swelling of hands, feet, and ankles
- Stuffy nose
- Headache
- Flushing
- Pale skin
- Fast heartbeat
- Nausea or Vomiting
- Stomach pain
- Anaemia (Low red blood cell count)
- Increased liver enzyme levels
Uses of Ambrisentan
What is it prescribed for?
- Pulmonary arterial hypertension
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe amount of time required for Ambrisentan to show its action is not clinically established.
- Duration of effectThe amount of time for which Ambrisentan remains active in your body is not clinically established.
- Safe with alcohol?Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendencies were reported for Ambrisentan.
- Usage in pregnancy?Ambrisentan is unsafe for use in pregnancy as it can cause harm to your developing foetus.
- Usage while breast-feeding?Due to the lack of safety information, Ambrisentan is not recommended for use while breastfeeding unless absolutely necessary. Hence, consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
Allergy
Avoid taking Ambrisentan if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.
Pregnancy
Ambrisentan is not recommended for use during pregnancy as it may harm your foetus.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a serious condition in which the lung tissue becomes scarred, causing a decline in lung function. Ambrisentan is not recommended for use if you have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis as it may further worsen your condition.
Severe liver impairment
Ambrisentan may cause an increase in liver enzymes level, resulting in liver toxicity and cases of liver failure. Hence this medicine is not recommended for use if you have severe liver conditions.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Ambrisentan is unsafe for use in pregnancy as it can cause harm to your developing foetus.
Breast-feeding
Due to the lack of safety information, Ambrisentan is not recommended for use while breastfeeding unless absolutely necessary. Hence, consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
General warnings
Use in children
Ambrisentan is not recommended for use in children and adolescents as the safety and efficacy data are not available.
Decreased sperm count
Ambrisentan should be used with caution as it may decrease the sperm count in men.
Effective contraception
Ambrisentan may cause serious harm to the developing foetus if taken during pregnancy. Hence women of childbearing potential should use effective contraceptive methods to avoid getting pregnant during treatment with Ambrisentan and for one month after stopping the treatment.
Anaemia (Low red blood cell count)
Ambrisentan should be used with caution as it may cause a decrease in haemoglobin (a protein in your red blood cells) concentration and haematocrit (the ratio of the volume of red blood cells to the total blood volume) levels.
Driving vehicles or operating machines
Ambrisentan may cause dizziness or blurred vision. Hence avoid driving vehicles or operating heavy machines until you know how this medicine affects you.
Missed Dose
Take the missed dose of Ambrisentan as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed one.
Overdose
Never take more than the recommended dose of Ambrisentan. Seek emergency medical treatment in case of an overdose.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Instructions
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Interaction with Medicine
Leflunomide
Tizanidine
Deferasirox
Lomitapide
Disease interactions
Fluid retention
Ambrisentan may cause fluid retention (fluid build-up in body tissues) and swelling in the hands and lower legs. Hence it should be used with caution, especially if you have heart problems such as left ventricular dysfunction (dysfunction of the lower chamber of the heart causing an insufficient blood supply to the vital organs) or heart failure (the heart is unable to pump enough blood throughout the body).
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take Ambrisentan as instructed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts than recommended.
Consult your doctor if you experience undesirable effects that persist or worsen.
Do not stop the use of this medicine without consulting your doctor as it may worsen your condition.
This medicine can cause harm to the developing foetus if you are pregnant. Hence your doctor may start the treatment with this medicine only after a negative pregnancy test. Use effective contraception methods during treatment with this medicine and for one month after stopping the treatment to avoid getting pregnant.
Ambrisentan may cause a decrease in sperm count in men. Hence consult your doctor if you have any concerns.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Ambrisentan works by blocking the actions of a natural substance that causes constriction of the blood vessels. Thus this medicine helps to relax the blood vessels and decreases the pressure required to push the blood through the blood vessels leading to the lungs.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Endothelin receptor antagonist
Schedule
Schedule H
Drugs, H., 2022. Ambrisentan: MedlinePlus Drug Information. [online] Medlineplus.gov. Available at: [Accessed 20 January 2022].
Medicines.org.uk. 2022. [online] Available at: [Accessed 20 January 2022].
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2022. DailyMed - LETAIRIS- ambrisentan tablet, film coated. [online] Available at: [Accessed 20 January 2022].
Accessdata.fda.gov. 2022. [online] Available at: [Accessed 1 August 2022].
Medicines.org.uk. 2022. Ambrisentan 5 mg film-coated tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: [Accessed 1 August 2022].
Information on this page was last updated on 1 Aug 2022
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.