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Brand Name: the name given to the medicine by the company that makes the medicine. There may be more than one brand name if more than one company makes the medicine.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Reading the CMI does not take the place of counselling by a health professional.
Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about all aspects of your medicines, including
why you are taking them and what benefits / risks you can expect.
The CMI for your medicine that is on this web site is the most up-to-date version
available. It may differ from a CMI that you previously received from your doctor
or pharmacist, or in your pack of medicine.
This web site does not contain all CMIs for medicines sold in Australia and not
all medicines have a CMI available for them. If you do not find a CMI for your medicine
on this page, contact the pharmaceutical company who makes the medicine or talk
to your doctor or pharmacist. The information on this web site is intended for use
in Australia only.
Product name
Date released
APO-Risedronate
05 Aug 2019
Risedronate is used to treat osteoporosis, including osteoporosis caused by taking
steroids. It is also used to preserve bone mineral density in patients on long term
steroid therapy.
Osteoporosis
Throughout life, old bone is broken down and replaced with new bone. After the age
of 35, bone loss may occur faster than your body can replace it. Excessive bone loss
causes bones to become thinner and weaker, and therefore more likely to break.
Osteoporosis is a disease that gradually weakens bones. Early osteoporosis may not
show symptoms. However, if left untreated, it can result in broken bones. Osteoporosis
can also cause back pain, height loss and a curved back.
How it works
Risedronate works by slowing down the process of old bone being removed, which allows
the bone-forming cells time to rebuild normal bone. This reverses the progression
of osteoporosis by creating stronger bone which is less likely to fracture.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed
for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed this medicine for another reason.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
This medicine is not addictive.
There is not enough information to recommend the use of risedronate in children under
the age of 18 years.
The name of your medicine is APO-Risperidone. It contains the active ingredient risperidone.
Risperidone belongs to a group of medicines called antipsychotic agents, which improve
the symptoms of certain types of mental illness.
Risperidone is used for:
symptoms of schizophrenia and other types of related psychoses in adults and adolescents
over 15 years of age. These are conditions related to thoughts, feelings and/or actions
short term treatment of acute mania associated with Bipolar 1 Disorder – symptoms
of this condition may include elevated, expansive or irritable mood, inflated self-esteem,
decreased need for sleep, pressured speech, racing thoughts, distractibility or poor
judgment including disruptive or aggressive behaviours
short term treatment of behavioural problems in patients with a decline in mental
ability (dementia) – these problems include aggression through words or actions, morbid
suspiciousness, agitation or wandering
conduct and other disruptive disorders such as aggression, impulsiveness and self-injury
in adults, adolescents and children aged over 5 years old who are intellectually disabled
certain behaviours seen in children and adolescents with autism
How it works
Risperidone helps to correct a chemical imbalance in the brain associated with the
above conditions.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed
for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed this medicine for another reason.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
Rizatriptan is used to relieve the headache pain and other symptoms of migraine attacks.
Rizatriptan does not work for other types of headaches.
Migraine is an intense, throbbing, typically one-sided headache. It often includes
nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light or sound. Some people may have visual symptoms
before the headache, called an aura. An aura can include flashing lights or wavy lines.
Migraine attacks last anywhere from two hours to two days and they can return frequently.
The severity and frequency of migraines may vary.
Migraine occurs in about one out every 10 people. It is three times more common in
women than men. Six out of ten migraine sufferers have their first attack before the
age of 20.
There is no single cause of migraine. They tend to run in families. Certain things
trigger migraine attacks in some people, including:
certain foods or drinks e.g. cheese, dairy products, chocolate, citrus fruit, caffeine,
alcohol (especially red wine)
stress, anger, worry
changes in routine e.g. under or over sleeping, missing meals, change in diet
bright light or loud noises
hormonal changes in women e.g. during menstrual periods
If you understand what triggers your attacks, you may be able to prevent migraine
attacks or reduce their frequency. Keeping a headache diary will help you identify
and monitor possible migraine triggers. Once the triggers are identified, you and
your doctor can modify your treatment and lifestyle appropriately.
How it works
During a migraine attack, blood vessels in the brain dilate, or widen, resulting in
a throbbing pain.
Rizatriptan decreases this widening and returns the blood vessels to their normal
size, helping to relieve the pain. Rizatriptan also blocks the release of certain
chemicals from nerve endings that cause more pain and other symptoms of migraine.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed
for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed this medicine for another reason.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
This medicine is not addictive.
There is not enough information to recommend the use of this medicine for children
under the age of 18 years.
The name of your medicine is APO-Rosuvastatin. It contains the active ingredient rosuvastatin
(as rosuvastatin calcium).
This medicine is used to lower high cholesterol levels.
Even though you may have normal cholesterol, this medicine can also be used to reduce
the risk of you having a stroke or heart attack if you are a man 50 or more years
old or a woman 60 or more years old and have at least 2 risk factors for having a
heart attack or stroke. Risk factors include: high blood pressure, low levels of good
cholesterol (HDL), smoking or a family history of premature coronary heart disease.
Your doctor may also do a blood test to measure a substance called C Reactive Protein
to help decide if you should be given this medicine for this use.
Cholesterol and triglycerides
Everyone has cholesterol and triglycerides in their blood. They are fatty substances
needed by the body for many things.
Triglycerides are an energy source for the body. Cholesterol is used for such things
as building cells, making bile acids (which help to digest foods) and making some
hormones.
There are different types of cholesterol. Too much of the "bad" cholesterol (LDL)
can block the blood vessel that supply your heart and brain with blood, and can cause
heart attack, angina and stroke. The "good" cholesterol (HDL) helps to remove the
bad cholesterol from the blood vessels. High levels of triglycerides can be associated
with a low level of "good" cholesterol and may increase the risk of heart disease.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed
for you. Your doctor may have prescribed this medicine for another reason.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
How it works
Rosuvastatin belongs to a group of medicines known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors
(also known as 'statins'). It lowers the "bad" cholesterol and raises the "good" cholesterol
when exercise and changes to diet are not enough on their own.
Cholesterol is present in many foods and is also made by your body. Rosuvastatin does
not reduce the cholesterol that comes from fat in food. Because of this, when you
are taking rosuvastatin, you need to follow a low-fat diet, control your weight and
exercise regularly.
High cholesterol is also more likely to occur with certain diseases or if you have
a family history of high cholesterol.
Your doctor will have explained why you are being treated with rosuvastatin and told
you what dose to take. Your doctor may need to check your cholesterol levels before
prescribing rosuvastatin or changing your dose.
There is no evidence that this medicine is addictive.
Salbutamol is inhaled into your lungs to relieve the symptoms of asthma and other
breathing problems.
It may also be used before exercise or at other times to keep your air passages open
if you start to wheeze or have difficulty breathing each time you exert yourself.
Asthma is a disease where the lining of the lungs becomes inflamed (red and swollen),
making it difficult to breathe. This may be due to an allergy to house dust mites,
smoke, air-borne pollution and other irritants.
Salbutamol belongs to a family of medicines called bronchodilators (beta-2-agonists).
These work rapidly to open up the air passages in the lungs of people suffering from
asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and other breathing problems.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed
for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
This medicine is not addictive
This medication is delivered directly to your lungs through a device called a nebuliser.
APO-Salbutamol Inhalation Ampoules may be used in children aged between 4 and 12 years
of age.
Depression is longer lasting and/or more severe than the "low moods" everyone has
from time to time due to the stress of everyday life. It is thought to be caused by
a chemical imbalance in parts of the brain that can cause emotional and physical symptoms
such as feeling low in spirit, loss of interest in activities, being unable to enjoy
life, poor appetite or overeating, disturbed sleep, loss of sex drive and lack of
energy.
PMDD affects some women in the days before their period. It is different from premenstrual
syndrome (PMS). The mood symptoms (such as anger, sadness, tension, etc.) in PMDD
are more severe than in PMS and affect the woman's daily activities and relationships
with others.
Sertraline belongs to a group of medicines called Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors
(SSRIs).
Serotonin is one of the chemicals in your brain that helps control your mood. Sertraline
and other SSRIs are thought to help by increasing the amount of serotonin in your
brain.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed
for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
This medicine is not addictive.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
There is not enough information to recommend the use of this medicine for depression
in children under the age of 18 years.
The name of your medicine is APO-Sildenafil. It contains the active ingredient sildenafil.
It is used to treat erectile dysfunction, more commonly known as impotence, in men. This is when a man cannot get, or keep,
a hard erect penis suitable for sexual activity.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed
this medicine for another reason.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
How it works
Sildenafil belongs to a group of medicines called phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors.
It works by relaxing the blood vessels in your penis when you are sexually excited. This allows blood to flow into your penis,
allowing you to get an erection in the natural way.
Sildenafil will work only if you are sexually excited.
Sildenafil will not increase your sex drive.
There is no evidence that this medicine is addictive.
to help lower high cholesterol and triglyceride levels (together with dietary changes)
in people who have coronary heart disease (CHD)
in people with a high risk of CHD (e.g. diabetes, stroke or other blood vessel disease)
Simvastatin can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke, and can reduce the need
for hospitalisation due to angina.
Cholesterol:
Everyone has cholesterol and triglycerides in their blood. The body uses them for
many things, such as building cell walls and hormones.
Your body makes cholesterol, but it also comes from food. The body balances the cholesterol
it makes with the cholesterol it gets from food. This means if more cholesterol comes
from food, less is made by the body. However, if you eat a high-fat diet, your body
may not keep this balance and your cholesterol levels rise.
Too much cholesterol or triglycerides can be a problem. When you have high levels
of cholesterol, it may 'stick' to the inside of your blood vessels instead of being
carried to the parts of the body where it is needed. Over time this can form hard
areas (called plaque) on the walls of blood vessels, making it more difficult for
the blood to flow. This blocking of your blood vessels can lead to heart attacks,
angina and stroke. High cholesterol is more likely to occur with certain diseases
or if you have a family history of high cholesterol.
There is usually no symptoms of high cholesterol or triglycerides. Your doctor can
measure your cholesterol and triglycerides with a blood test.
There are two types of cholesterol, called LDL and HDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol
is the 'bad' cholesterol that can block vessels. HDL cholesterol is the 'good' cholesterol
that is thought to remove bad cholesterol from blood vessels.
How it works
Simvastatin belongs to a group of medicines known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.
Simvastatin works by reducing bad (LDL) cholesterol made by the liver and raises the
good (HDL) cholesterol. It may slow the hardening of blood vessels and reduce the
risk of developing new plaque.
Simvastatin does not reduce the cholesterol and triglycerides that come from fatty
food. Therefore, you also need to follow a low-fat diet while you are taking simvastatin.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed
for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed this medicine for another reason.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
This medicine is not addictive.
Safety and effectiveness have not been studied in boys under 10 years of age or in
girls who have not yet started their periods.
