Patient Leaflet Updated 28-Aug-2018 | Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (UK) Ltd
Valios 10mg & 20mg Orodispersible Tablets & Valios 5 mg/10 mg/15 mg/20 mg Orodispersible Tablets (initiation pack)
Valios 10 mg Orodispersible Tablets
Valios 20 mg Orodispersible Tablets
Valios 5 mg/10 mg/15 mg/20 mg Orodispersible Tablets
(Initiation pack)
Memantine hydrochloride
1. What Valios is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Valios
3. How to take Valios
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Valios
6. Contents of the pack and other information
Valios contains the active substance memantine hydrochloride. It belongs to a group of medicines known as anti-dementia medicines. Memory loss in Alzheimer’s disease is due to a disturbance of message signals in the brain. The brain contains so-called N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptors that are involved in transmitting nerve signals important in learning and memory. Valios belongs to a group of medicines called NMDA-receptor antagonists. Valios acts on these NMDA-receptors improving the transmission of nerve signals and the memory.
Valios is used for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s disease.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Valios
In these situations the treatment should be carefully supervised, and the clinical benefit of Valios reassessed by your doctor on a regular basis.
If you suffer from renal impairment (kidney problems), your doctor should closely monitor your kidney function and if necessary adapt the memantine doses accordingly.
The use of medicinal products called amantadine (for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease), ketamine (a substance generally used as an anaesthetic), dextromethorphan (generally used to treat cough) and other NMDA-antagonists at the same time should be avoided.
Valios is not recommended for children and adolescents under the age of 18 years.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
In particular, Valios may change the effects of the following medicines and their dose may need to be adjusted by your doctor:
If you go into hospital, let your doctor know that you are taking Valios.
You should inform your doctor if you have recently changed or intend to change your diet substantially (e.g. from normal diet to strict vegetarian diet) or if you are suffering from states of renal tubular acidosis (RTA, an excess of acid-forming substances in the blood due to renal dysfunction (poor kidney function)) or severe infections of the urinary tract (structure that carries urine), as your doctor may need to adjust the dose of your medicine.
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
Pregnancy
The use of memantine in pregnant women is not recommended.
Breast-feeding
Women taking Valios should not breast-feed.
Your doctor will tell you whether your illness allows you to drive and to use machines safely. Also, Valios may change your reactivity, making driving or operating machinery inappropriate.
Aspartame contains a source of phenylalanine which may be harmful for people with phenylketonuria.
If you have been told by your doctor that you have intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicinal product.
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
The recommended dose of Valios for adults and older people is 20 mg once a day. In order to reduce the risk of side effects this dose is achieved gradually by the following daily treatment scheme.
Week 1 One 5 mg tablet per day for 7 days (light pink, round, flat, speckled tablets with bevelled edges, a diameter of 7 mm and engraved with “5” on one side)
Week 2 One 10 mg tablet per day for 7 days
(light pink, round, flat, speckled tablets with bevelled edges, a diameter of 9 mm and engraved with “10” on one side)
Week 3 One 15 mg tablet per day for 7 days
(light pink, round, flat, speckled tablets with bevelled edges, a diameter of 11 mm and engraved with “15” on one side)
Week 4 & beyond One 20 mg tablet per day
(light pink, round, flat, speckled tablets with bevelled edges, a diameter of 12 mm and engraved with “20” on one side)
The recommended daily dose is 20 mg once a day.
For continuation of the treatment please consult your doctor.
If you have impaired kidney function, your doctor will decide upon a dose that suits your condition. In this case, monitoring of your kidney function should be performed by your doctor at specified intervals.
Valios should be administered orally once a day. To benefit from your medicine you should take it regularly every day at the same time of the day. The tablets can be taken with or without food.
Valios orodispersible tablets break easily, so you should handle the tablets carefully. Do not handle the tablets with wet hands as the tablets may break up.
Continue to take Valios as long as it is of benefit to you. Your doctor should assess your treatment on a regular basis.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
In general, the observed side effects are mild to moderate.
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people)
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
Alzheimer’s disease has been associated with depression, suicidal ideation and suicide. These events have been reported in patients treated with memantine.
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme, website www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and the blister after “EXP”. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
The active substance is memantine hydrochloride.
Each 5 mg orodispersible tablet contains 5 mg memantine hydrochloride equivalent to 4.15 mg memantine.
Each 10 mg orodispersible tablet contains 10 mg memantine hydrochloride equivalent to 8.31 mg memantine.
Each 15 mg orodispersible tablet contains 15 mg memantine hydrochloride equivalent to 12.46 mg memantine.
Each 20 mg orodispersible tablet contains 20 mg memantine hydrochloride equivalent to 16.62 mg memantine.
The other ingredients are polacrilin, sodium hydroxide (for pH-adjustment), lactose monohydrate, cellulose, microcrystalline, mannitol (E421), croscarmellose sodium, aspartame (E951), silica, colloidal anhydrous, iron oxide red (E172), flavour peppermint [containing Maltodextrin (maize), Modified starch E1450 (waxy maize), Peppermint oil (mentha arvensis)], magnesium stearate.
Valios 5 mg orodispersible tablets are presented as light pink round, flat, speckled tablets with bevelled edges, with a diameter of 7 mm and engraved with “5” on one side.
Valios 10 mg orodispersible tablets are presented as light pink, round, flat, speckled tablets with bevelled edges, with a diameter of 9 mm and engraved with “10” on one side.
Valios 15 mg orodispersible tablets are presented as light pink, round, flat, speckled tablets with bevelled edges, with a diameter of 11 mm and engraved with “15” on one side.
Valios 20 mg orodispersible tablets are presented as light pink, round, flat, speckled tablets with bevelled edges, with a diameter of 12 mm and engraved with “20” on one side.
Valios orodispersible tablets are available in blister packs of
10 mg: 28 orodispersible tablets
20 mg: 28 orodispersible tablets
Initiation pack of 28 orodispersible tablets containing: 7 orodispersible tablets of 5 mg, 7 orodispersible tablets of 10 mg, 7 orodispersible tablets of 15 mg, 7 orodispersible tablets of 20 mg
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
This leaflet was last revised in 07/2018
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