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

You should not take this medication if you are allergic to colestipol, or if you have a blockage in your intestines.

Before taking colestipol, tell your doctor if have trouble swallowing, constipation or hemorrhoids, a stomach or intestinal disorder, liver disease, a thyroid disorder, a bleeding disorder, a history of major stomach or bowel surgery, or if you have a vitamin A, D, E, or K deficiency.

Before taking colestipol, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding a baby.

Colestipol 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.

Do not take other medications at the same time you take colestipol. Taking colestipol can make it harder for your body to absorb certain drugs, making them less effective. Take your other medications at least 1 hour before or 4 hours after you take colestipol.

Avoid constipation by drinking 8 to 12 full glasses (8 ounces each) every day while taking this medication. Ask your doctor before using a laxative or stool softener.

Call your doctor at once if you have severe constipation or stomach pain.

To be sure colestipol is helping your condition, your blood will need to be tested often. This will help your doctor determine how long to treat you with colestipol. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

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 colestipol?

Colestipol is a cholesterol-lowering drug.

Colestipol lowers "bad” cholesterol in the blood, which is also called LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. Lowering your LDL cholesterol may reduce your risk of hardened arteries, which can lead to heart attacks, stroke, and circulation problems.

Lowering high cholesterol levels is an important part of preventing heart disease and arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

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


Precautions

You should not take this medication if you are allergic to colestipol, or if you have a blockage in your intestines.

Before taking colestipol, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

  • trouble swallowing;
  • constipation or hemorrhoids;
  • a stomach, intestinal, or digestive disorder;
  • liver disease;
  • a thyroid disorder;
  • a bleeding disorder;
  • a history of major stomach or bowel surgery; or
  • if you have a vitamin A, D, E, or K deficiency.

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

This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Taking colestipol can make it harder for your body to absorb certain vitamins. These vitamins are important if you are nursing a baby. Do not take colestipol without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Some forms of this medication may contain phenylalanine. Talk to your doctor before using colestipol if you have phenylketonuria (PKU).

Avoid taking other medications at the same time you take colestipol. Taking colestipol can make it harder for your body to absorb certain drugs, making them less effective. Take your other medications at least 1 hour before or 4 hours after you take colestipol.

Avoid constipation by drinking 8 to 12 full glasses (8 ounces each) every day while taking this medication. Ask your doctor before using a laxative or stool softener.

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Instructions

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include severe stomach pain or constipation.

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

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Side-effects

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.

Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

  • trouble swallowing;
  • severe constipation or stomach pain;
  • black, bloody, or tarry stools; or
  • easy bruising or bleeding, muscle or joint pain, loss of appetite.

Less serious side effects may include:

  • mild or occasional constipation;
  • gas, indigestion, heartburn;
  • diarrhea; or
  • hemorrhoids or rectal irritation.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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Interactions

Taking colestipol can make it harder for your body to absorb many other medications. Below is just a partial list of these medications. Tell your doctor if you are using:

  • steroid drugs such as hydrocortisone (Cortef, Hydrocortone);
  • heart medication such as digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps), propranolol (Inderal), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril), chlorothiazide (Diuril);
  • a diuretic (water pill) such as furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril), or chlorothiazide (Diuril);
  • an antibiotic such as demeclocycline (Declomycin), doxycycline (Adoxa, Doryx, Oracea, Vibramycin), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin, Solodyn, Vectrin), or tetracycline (Brodspec, Panmycin, Sumycin, Tetracap); or
  • other cholesterol-lowering medications such as atorvastatin (Caduet, Lipitor), lovastatin (Altocor, Mevacor, Advicor), ezetimibe (Zetia, Vytorin), fenofibrate (Antara, Lipofen, Lofibra, TriCor, Triglide), gemfibrozil (Lopid), clofibrate (Atromid-S), nicotinic acid (niacin), or ursodiol (Actigall, Urso, Urso Forte).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with colestipol. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start 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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