Introduction
What PLANEP 50MG is used for?
It is used to,
- Treat heart failure in patients who had a recent heart attack in combination with other medicines
Warning & Precautions
Talk to Doctor
Talk to your doctor before you take this medicine, if you:
- Are allergic to eplerenone or any of the other ingredients of this medicine
- Have high levels of potassium in your blood (hyperkalaemia)
- Have severe kidney liver disease
Pregnancy & Breast Feeding
- If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine
Children & Adolescents
- The safety and efficacy of this medicine in children and adolescents have not been established
Driving & Using Machines
- You may feel dizzy after taking this medicine. If this should happen, do not drive or operate machinery
Interactions
Tell your doctor if you are taking,
- Itraconazole or ketoconazole, fluconazole used to treat fungal infections
- Ritonavir, nelfinavir, saquinavir, antiviral medication for treating HIV
- Clarithromycin, telithromycin, erythromycin, rifampicin, used to treat bacterial infections
- Nefazodone, used to treat depression
- Drugs which help you to excrete excess body fluid, such as spironolactone, amiloride and triamterene
- Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers together which are used to treat high blood pressure, heart disease or kidney conditions
- Lithium, usually given for manic depressive disorder, also called bipolar disorder
- Ciclosporin or tacrolimus, used to treat skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema and to prevent rejection after organ transplantation
- Certain pain killers such as ibuprofen, used to relieve pain, stiffness and inflammation
- Trimethoprim, used to treat bacterial infections
- Prazosin or alfuzosin, used to treat high blood pressure and particular prostate conditions
- Amitriptyline or amoxapine, for treatment of depressions
- Chlorpromazine or haloperidol, for the treatment of psychiatric disorders
- Amifostine, used during cancer chemotherapy
- Baclofen, used to treat muscle spasm
- Glucocorticoids, used to treat inflammation and certain skin condition
- Digoxin, amiodarone, diltiazem and verapamil used in the treatment of heart conditions
- Warfarin an anti-clotting drug
- Carbamazepine, phenytoin and phenobarbital, used among others, to treat epilepsy
How to Use
- Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you
- It may be taken together with food or on an empty stomach
- Swallow the tablet whole with plenty of water
- Do not chew, crush or break it.
- Planep 50 Tablet may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
- It can make you feel dizzy for the first few days. Do not drive or do anything requiring concentration until you know how Planep 50 Tablet affects you.
- It may increase the level of potassium in your blood. Avoid taking potassium supplements and potassium-rich foods such as banana and broccoli.
- Your doctor will regularly check your kidney function and the amount of potassium in your blood while you are on this medicine.
- Notify your doctor if you experience dizziness, diarrhea, vomiting, fast or irregular heartbeat, swelling in feet, or difficulty breathing.
- Inform your doctor if you are pregnant, planning pregnancy or breastfeeding.
If you take more PLANEP 50MG
- Contact your doctor immediately or go to nearest hospital
If you forget to take PLANEP 50MG
- If you forget to take PLANEP 50MG, take it as soon as you remember
- If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose
- Do not take two doses at the same time
If you stop taking PLANEP 50MG
- It is important to keep taking this medicine as prescribed unless your doctor tells you to stop your treatment
Side Effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them
Serious
- Swollen face, tongue or throat
- Difficulty swallowing
- Hives and difficulties breathing
Common
- Elevated potassium level in your blood (symptoms include muscle cramps, diarrhoea, nausea, dizziness or headache)
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Elevated quantity of cholesterol in your blood
- Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
- Headache heart complaints e.g. irregular heartbeat and heart failure
- Cough
- Constipation
- Low blood pressure
- Vomiting
- Abnormal functioning of your kidney
- Rash, itching
- Back pain
- Feeling weak
- Muscle spasm
- Increased urea level in the blood
- Increased creatinine blood levels which may indicate kidney problems
Uncommon
- Increase in certain white blood cells (eosinophilia)
- Dehydration
- Elevated quantity of triglycerides (fats) in your blood
- Low sodium blood levels
- Fast heart beat
- Inflammation of the gall bladder
- Decreased blood pressure that can cause dizziness upon standing
- Thrombosis (blood clot) in a limb
- Sore throat
- Flatulence
- Underactive thyroid
- Increase in blood glucose
- Reduced sense of touch
- Increased sweating
- Feeling generally unwell
- Musculoskeletal pain
- Kidney inflammation
- Enlargement of breasts in men
- Changes in some blood test results
HOW TO COPE WITH SIDE EFFECTS?
The occurrence of side effects varies from person to person. The following are a few ways of dealing with some of the common side effects. However, consult your doctor if these persist.
Coping with Nausea
You can help yourself by eating small, frequent meals rather than large ones and drinking plenty of fluids. Eat slowly. Avoid fatty, fried, spicy and very sweet foods. Eat cold or slightly warm food if the smell of cooked or cooking food makes you feel sick. Get plenty of fresh air. You could also try chewing ginger or drinking ginger tea. Eat bananas to replace potassium in your blood which can drop if you are sick (vomit). Use oral rehydration salts to replace vitamins and minerals lost through being sick. There are some medicines that can help you stop feeling sick. Speak to your doctor if your condition does not improve.
More Information
Storage
- Keep this medicine out of reach of children
- Store at room temperature (15-25°C)
- Do not use this medicine after the expiry date
FAQs
Q. What does Planep do? Is it a beta blocker or a diuretic?
Planep is a potassium-sparing diuretic which is prescribed with other medicines for controlling increased blood pressure and to treat heart failure in patients who had a heart attack. It is not a beta blocker but mineralocorticoid receptor blocker.
Q. How long does Planep take to work?
Planep controls high blood pressure but does not cure it. You may not see any improvement because it does not have any symptoms. But, if you get your blood pressure checked, you may notice a change within 2 weeks of starting Planep. It may take 4 weeks or longer before you are able to get full benefits.
Q. Does Planep cause erectile dysfunction?
No, Planep being a selective aldosterone receptor blocker does not cause erectile dysfunction. Planep does not have any effect on fertility, in both males and females.
Q. My blood pressure is now controlled, still doctor has asked me to continue the treatment. Can I stop Planep?
No, if your doctor has advised to continue treatment, keep taking it. Planep does not cure blood pressure, but keeps the blood pressure in control. Therefore, keep taking the medicine even if your blood pressure is controlled. Stopping it may make your condition worse and you may have unwanted side effects.
Q. Planep is a potassium-sparing diuretic. Does this mean that I will have more potassium in my body? Will it be beneficial for me?
Planep allows sodium loss by body in exchange for potassium which is retained. It may result in increase in levels of potassium. Therefore, your doctor may monitor your potassium levels continuously. You may need to get it measured before starting Planep, within the first week and one month after the start of treatment or after a change in dose. Potassium levels above normal range are not good for you or anyone.
Q. Does Planep have any effect on the blood sugar levels?
Though not very common, but yes, Planep may increase your blood sugar levels. Therefore, it is important that you keep a regular check on your blood sugar levels if you are a diabetic. Planep is not given to patients who have type 2 diabetes along with some kidney problem in which the patients loses protein (albumin) in very small quantity in urine.
Q. I had been on losartan since quite some time and was tolerating it well. Now my doctor has prescribed me Planep along with hydrochlorothiazide. I wanted to know why he just could not add Planep with losartan?
It could be possible that losartan was not able to control your blood pressure adequately. Therefore, your doctor suggested Planep, but taking eplerenone with losartan enhances the chances of raised potassium levels which could be harmful for you. To prevent the rise in potassium levels, your doctor prescribed Planep with hydrochlorothiazide.
Q. Is there anything I need to be careful about if I am taking aspirin and have now started Planep?
Aspirin may interfere with the working of Planep due to which your blood pressure may not get adequately controlled. Aspirin and eplerenone may increase the chances of increased potassium levels in patients with kidney problems. Therefore, if both are to be used together, keep monitoring your blood pressure and potassium levels.
Planep is a potassium-sparing diuretic which is prescribed with other medicines for controlling increased blood pressure and to treat heart failure in patients who had a heart attack. It is not a beta blocker but mineralocorticoid receptor blocker.
Q. How long does Planep take to work?
Planep controls high blood pressure but does not cure it. You may not see any improvement because it does not have any symptoms. But, if you get your blood pressure checked, you may notice a change within 2 weeks of starting Planep. It may take 4 weeks or longer before you are able to get full benefits.
Q. Does Planep cause erectile dysfunction?
No, Planep being a selective aldosterone receptor blocker does not cause erectile dysfunction. Planep does not have any effect on fertility, in both males and females.
Q. My blood pressure is now controlled, still doctor has asked me to continue the treatment. Can I stop Planep?
No, if your doctor has advised to continue treatment, keep taking it. Planep does not cure blood pressure, but keeps the blood pressure in control. Therefore, keep taking the medicine even if your blood pressure is controlled. Stopping it may make your condition worse and you may have unwanted side effects.
Q. Planep is a potassium-sparing diuretic. Does this mean that I will have more potassium in my body? Will it be beneficial for me?
Planep allows sodium loss by body in exchange for potassium which is retained. It may result in increase in levels of potassium. Therefore, your doctor may monitor your potassium levels continuously. You may need to get it measured before starting Planep, within the first week and one month after the start of treatment or after a change in dose. Potassium levels above normal range are not good for you or anyone.
Q. Does Planep have any effect on the blood sugar levels?
Though not very common, but yes, Planep may increase your blood sugar levels. Therefore, it is important that you keep a regular check on your blood sugar levels if you are a diabetic. Planep is not given to patients who have type 2 diabetes along with some kidney problem in which the patients loses protein (albumin) in very small quantity in urine.
Q. I had been on losartan since quite some time and was tolerating it well. Now my doctor has prescribed me Planep along with hydrochlorothiazide. I wanted to know why he just could not add Planep with losartan?
It could be possible that losartan was not able to control your blood pressure adequately. Therefore, your doctor suggested Planep, but taking eplerenone with losartan enhances the chances of raised potassium levels which could be harmful for you. To prevent the rise in potassium levels, your doctor prescribed Planep with hydrochlorothiazide.
Q. Is there anything I need to be careful about if I am taking aspirin and have now started Planep?
Aspirin may interfere with the working of Planep due to which your blood pressure may not get adequately controlled. Aspirin and eplerenone may increase the chances of increased potassium levels in patients with kidney problems. Therefore, if both are to be used together, keep monitoring your blood pressure and potassium levels.
Disclaimer:The contents of this website are for informational purposes only and not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.
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