Ranexa

Ranexa

Generic Name: ranolazine (ra NOE la zeen)

Brand Names: Ranexa

What is Ranexa?

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Ranexa is an anti-anginal medication. It works by improving blood flow to help the heart work more efficiently.

Ranexa is used to treat chronic angina (chronic chest pain). It may be used with beta-blockers, nitrates, calcium channel blockers, anti-platelet therapy, lipid-lowering therapy, ACE inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers.

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

Important information about Ranexa

You should not take Ranexa if you have liver disease. Ranexa should not be taken together with certain medicines to treat heart rhythm disorders, infections, HIV or AIDS, seizures, mental illness, pain, cancer, or stomach disorders. Before you take Ranexa, tell your doctor about all other medications you are using.

Ranexa is not for use during an acute (emergency) attack of angina. Continue using any other medicines prescribed by your doctor (such as nitroglycerin) to treat acute angina.

Before you take Ranexa, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, especially if you have a personal or family history of "Long QT syndrome." Also tell your doctor about all other medications you use regularly.

Do not crush, chew, break, or open a controlled-release, delayed-release, or extended-release tablet or capsule. Swallow it whole. Breaking or opening the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.

Chronic angina is often treated with a combination of different drugs. To best treat your condition, use all of your medications as directed by your doctor. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without advice from your doctor.

Before taking Ranexa

You should not take Ranexa if you have liver disease. Ranexa should not be taken together with certain medicines to treat heart rhythm disorders, infections, HIV or AIDS, seizures, mental illness, pain, cancer, or stomach disorders. Before you take Ranexa, tell your doctor about all other medications you are using.

Ranexa is not for use during an acute (emergency) attack of angina. Continue using any other medicines prescribed by your doctor (such as nitroglycerin) to treat acute angina.

If you have certain conditions or take certain medications, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use this medication. Before you take Ranexa, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, especially if you have a personal or family history of "Long QT syndrome." Also tell your doctor about all other medications you use regularly.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether Ranexa will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. It is not known if ranolazine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use Ranexa without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

See also: Ranexa pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings (in more detail)

How should I take Ranexa?

Take Ranexa exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Ranexa may be taken with or without food.

Chronic angina is often treated with a combination of different drugs. To best treat your condition, use all of your medications as directed by your doctor. Do not change your doses or medication schedule without advice from your doctor.

Do not crush, chew, break, or open a controlled-release, delayed-release, or extended-release tablet or capsule. Swallow it whole. Breaking or opening the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time. Do not take more than 1000 milligrams of Ranexa two times per day. Store Ranexa at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

See also: Ranexa dosage (in more detail)

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose.Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Overdose can cause nausea, vomiting, numbness or tingling, dizziness, blurred vision, confusion, or fainting.

What should I avoid while taking Ranexa?

Ranexa may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Ranexa and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor. Do not increase or decrease the amount of grapefruit products in your diet without first talking to your doctor.

Ranexa 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 any of these serious side effects:

feeling like you might pass out;

swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;

slow, fast, or pounding heartbeats;

tremors or shaking;

blood in your urine;

urinating less than usual or not at all;

shortness of breath; or

skin rash, bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, and muscle weakness.

Less serious Ranexa side effects may include:

mild dizziness, spinning sensation, headache;

dry mouth;

mild nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation;

weakness; or

ringing in your ears.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

See also: Ranexa side effects (in more detail)

What other drugs will affect Ranexa?

Many drugs can interact with Ranexa. Below is just a partial list. Tell your doctor if you are using:

aprepitant (Emend);

cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf);

digoxin (Lanoxin);

diltiazem (Cartia, Cardizem) or verapamil (Verelan, Calan, Isoptin, Covera);

itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral);

seizure medicine such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin);

simvastatin (Zocor);

St. John's wort;

an antibiotic such as azithromycin (Zithromax), clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Ery-Tab), rifabutin (Mycobutin), rifampin (Rifadin, Rifamate), or rifapentin (Priftin);

an antifungal medication such as fluconazole (Diflucan); itraconazole (Sporanox), or ketoconazole (Nizoral);

an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil), doxepin (Adapin, Sinequan), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), imipramine (Tofranil), or paroxetine (Paxil);

a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Solfoton);

medicine to treat a mental illness, such as thioridazine (Mellaril), ziprasidone (Geodon);

heart rhythm medicine such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), quinidine (Cardioquin, Quinidex, Quinaglute), dofetilide (Tikosyn), sotalol (Betapace, Sorine); or

HIV medicines such as tipranavir (Aptivus), indinavir (Crixivan), saquinavir (Invirase, Fortovase), lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), ritonavir (Norvir), atazanavir (Reyataz), or nelfinavir (Viracept).

This list is not complete and there are many other drugs that can interact with Ranexa. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.

More Ranexa resources

Ranexa Side Effects (in More Detail)

Ranexa Dosage

Ranexa Use in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Drug Images

Ranexa Drug Interactions

Ranexa Support Group

6 Reviews for Ranexa - Add your own review/rating

Ranexa Prescribing Information (FDA)

Ranexa MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer)

Ranexa Monograph (AHFS DI)

Ranexa Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information

Ranolazine Professional Patient Advice (Wolters Kluwer)

Compare Ranexa with other medications

Angina

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about Ranexa.