Cholestyramine For Oral Suspension

INDICATIONS AND USAGE 1) Cholestyramine is indicated as adjunctive therapy to diet for the reduction of elevated serum cholesterol in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia (elevated low density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol) who do not respond adequately to diet. Cholestyramine may be useful to lower LDL cholesterol in patients who also have hypertriglyceridemia, but it is not indicated where hypertriglyceridemia is the abnormality of most concern. Therapy with lipid-altering agents should be a component of multiple risk factor intervention in those individuals at significantly increased risk for atherosclerotic vascular disease due to hypercholesterolemia.

ADVERSE REACTIONS The most common adverse reaction is constipation. When used as a cholesterol-lowering agent predisposing factors for most complaints of constipation are high dose and increased age (more than 60 years old). Most instances of constipation are mild, transient and controlled with conventional therapy. Some patients require a temporary decrease in dosage or discontinuation of therapy.

WARNINGS PHENYLKETONURICS: CHOLESTYRAMINE FOR ORAL SUSPENSION, USP LIGHT POWDER CONTAINS 22.4 MG PHENYLALANINE PER 5.7 GRAM DOSE. CONTRAINDICATIONS Cholestyramine for oral suspension and cholestyramine for oral suspension light is contraindicated in patients with complete biliary obstruction where bile is not secreted into the intestine and in those individuals who have shown hypersensitivity to any of its components.