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What is the most important information I should know about fenofibrate?

Fenofibrate is only part of a complete program of treatment that also includes diet, exercise, and weight control. Follow your diet, medication, and exercise routines very closely.

Avoid drinking alcohol while taking fenofibrate. Alcohol can raise triglyceride levels, and may also damage your liver while you are taking fenofibrate.

Fenofibrate has been associated with a rare but serious side effect of the muscles. Contact your doctor at once if you have unusual muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if accompanied by fever or flu-like feeling.

Warning

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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What is fenofibrate?

Fenofibrate helps reduce cholesterol and triclygerides (fatty acids) in the blood. High levels of these types of fat in the blood are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis (clogged arteries).

Fenofibrate is used to treat high cholesterol and high triglyceride levels.

Fenofibrate may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.


Precautions

You should not use fenofibrate if you have:

  • hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver;
  • severe kidney disease; or
  • gallbladder disease.

Before using fenofibrate, tell your doctor if you have:

  • liver disease;
  • kidney disease;
  • gallbladder disease;
  • hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid gland); or
  • diabetes.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication.

FDA pregnancy category C. Fenofibrate may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Fenofibrate should not be used by nursing mothers. Do not take fenofibrate without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Avoid drinking alcohol while taking fenofibrate. Alcohol can raise triglyceride levels, and may also damage your liver while you are taking fenofibrate.

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Instructions

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a fenofibrate overdose are not known.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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Side-effects

Fenofibrate has been associated with a rare but serious side effect of the muscles. Contact your doctor at once if you have unusual muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness especially if accompanied by fever or flu-like feeling.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using fenofibrate and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

  • severe stomach pain;
  • nausea, vomiting;
  • unusual weakness; or
  • fever.

Less serious side effects may include:

  • joint pain;
  • indigestion;
  • bloating or gas; or
  • a rash.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

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Interactions

Before taking fenofibrate, talk to your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:

  • a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
  • cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf); or
  • other cholesterol-lowering medicines such as lovastatin (Mevacor), simvastatin (Zocor), pravastatin (Pravachol), fluvastatin (Lescol), atorvastatin (Lipitor), or cerivastatin (Baycol).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with fenofibrate. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

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Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2004 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version 2.05. Revision date 8/23/04

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