Bezafibrate
Description
Bezafibrate is a lipid-lowering medicine, which is used to reduce the cholesterol and lipid levels in the blood. It increases high-density lipoproteins (HDL) which reduce the risk of heart attacks, atherosclerosis, and angina. It is not recommended for use in children. Close monitoring of kidney and liver functions is recommended during treatment with this medicine.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Bezafibrate
- Decreased appetite
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Rash
- Sudden hair loss (alopecia)
- Muscle cramps
Uses of Bezafibrate
What is it prescribed for?
- Hyperlipidemia
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe peak effect of this medicine can be observed within 1-2 hours (immediate release) and 3-4 hours (sustained release) of administration of the dose.
- Duration of effectThe amount of time for which this medicine remains active in the 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.
- Usage in pregnancy?This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless necessary. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before taking this medicine.
- Usage while breast-feeding?This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before taking this medicine. Your doctor may prescribe an alternative medicine based on your clinical condition.
Allergy
This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with a known allergy to bezafibrate or any other inactive ingredients present along with it.
Gallbladder disease
This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with gallbladder diseases (with or without cholelithiasis) due to the increased risk of worsening of the patient's condition.
Liver disease
This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with liver diseases due to the increased risk of worsening of the patient's condition.
Elderly patients
This medicine is not recommended for use in elderly patients (as the creatinine clearance is normally lower than 60 ml/min after 70 years of age) due to the increased risk of worsening of the patient's condition.
Severe renal impairment
This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with severe kidney diseases due to the increased risk of worsening of the patient's condition.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless necessary. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before taking this medicine.
Breast-feeding
This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before taking this medicine. Your doctor may prescribe an alternative medicine based on your clinical condition.
General warnings
Kidney Disease
This medicine should be used with caution in patients with kidney diseases due to the increased risk of severe adverse effects. Close monitoring of kidney function is necessary for such patients. Appropriate dose adjustments or replacement with a suitable alternative may be required in some cases based on the clinical condition.
Liver disease
This medicine should be used with caution in patients suffering from liver diseases due to the increased risk of severe adverse effects. Close monitoring of liver function is necessary for such patients. Appropriate dose adjustments or replacement with a suitable alternative may be required in some cases based on the clinical condition.
Uncontrolled type-2 diabetes mellitus
This medicine should be used with caution in patients suffering from type-2 diabetes mellitus due to the increased risk of worsening of the patient's condition. Close monitoring of blood glucose levels is necessary for such patients. Appropriate dose adjustments or replacement with a suitable alternative may be required in some cases based on the clinical condition.
Use in Children
This medicine is not recommended for use in patients below 18 years of age since the safety and efficacy of use are not clinically established. However, your doctor may prescribe this medicine if the benefits significantly outweigh the risks. In such a case, the patient should be monitored closely for any adverse effects.
Rhabdomyolysis
Use of this medicine may increase the risk of a fatal condition called rhabdomyolysis where the muscles in the body are damaged and which may ultimately result in kidney damage. Report any unusual symptoms to the doctor on priority. You may require a dose adjustment and more frequent clinical monitoring to safely use this medicine. An alternative treatment option should be considered in some cases based on the clinical condition.
Missed Dose
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not double your dose to make up for the missed dose.
Overdose
Seek emergency medical treatment or contact the doctor 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
Hypoglycemic agents
Statin agents
MAO inhibitors
Disease interactions
Disease
Information not available.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take this medicine exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger amounts than advised/prescribed. Consult the doctor if you experience any undesirable effects. Do not stop taking the medicine before completion of the course/without consulting your doctor.
Miscelleneous
How it works
This medicine works by increasing the natural lipid breakdown process with the help of enzyme lipoprotein lipase. This removes the bad cholesterol and triglycerides from the blood and increases the levels of good cholesterol (HDL).
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Fibric acid derivatives
Schedule
Schedule H
[Internet]. Medicines.org.uk. 2018 [cited 20 December 2018]. Available from:
Bezafibrate - DrugBank [Internet]. Drugbank.ca. 2018 [cited 20 December 2018]. Available from:
Bezafibrate [Internet]. Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2018 [cited 20 December 2018]. Available from:
[Internet]. 2018 [cited 20 December 2018]. Available from:
[Internet]. Tevauk.com. 2018 [cited 20 December 2018]. Available from:
[Internet]. Allergan-web-cdn-prod.azureedge.net. 2018 [cited 20 December 2018]. Available from:
Information on this page was last updated on 21 Feb 2019
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.