SOTILEN Capsule Ref.[28272] Active ingredients: Piroxicam

Undesirable effects may be minimised by using the minimum effective dose for the shortest duration necessary to control symptoms (see section 4.2, and GI and cardiovascular risks below).

The clinical benefit and tolerability should be re-evaluated periodically and treatment should be immediately discontinued at the first appearance of cutaneous reactions or relevant gastrointestinal events.

Gastrointestinal (GI) Effects, Risk of GI Ulceration, Bleeding, and Perforation

NSAIDs, including piroxicam, can cause serious gastrointestinal events including bleeding, ulceration, and perforation of the stomach, small intestine or large intestine, which can be fatal. These serious adverse events can occur at any time, with or without warning symptoms, in patients treated with NSAIDs.

NSAID exposures of both short and long duration have an increased risk of serious GI event. Evidence from observational studies suggests that piroxicam may be associated with a high risk of serious gastrointestinal toxicity, relative to other NSAIDs.

Patients with significant risk factors for serious GI events should be treated with piroxicam only after careful consideration (see sections 4.3 and below). The possible need for combination therapy with gastro-protective agents (e.g. misoprostol or proton pump inhibitors) should be carefully considered (see section 4.2).

Serious GI Complications

Identification of at-risk subjects

The risk for developing serious GI complications increases with age. Age over 70 years is associated with high risk of complications. The administration to patients over 80 years should be avoided.

Patients taking concomitant oral corticosteroids, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or anti-platelet agents such as low-dose acetylsalicylic acid are at increased risk of serious GI complications (see below and section 4.5). As with other NSAIDs, the use of piroxicam in combination with protective agents (e.g. misoprostol or proton pump inhibitors) must be considered for these at-risk patients.

Patients and physicians should remain alerted for signs and symptoms of GI ulceration and/or bleeding during piroxicam treatment. Patients should be asked to report any new or unusual abdominal symptom during treatment. If a gastrointestinal complication is suspected during treatment, piroxicam should be discontinued immediately and additional clinical evaluation and treatment should be considered.

Appropriate monitoring and advice are required for patients with a history of hypertension and/or mild to moderate congestive heart failure as fluid retention and oedema have been reported in association with NSAID therapy.

Patients with uncontrolled hypertension, congestive heart failure, established ischaemic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and/or cerebrovascular disease should only be treated with piroxicam after careful consideration. Similar consideration should be made before initiating longer-term treatment of patients with risk factors for cardiovascular events (e.g. hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, and smoking).

Clinical trial and epidemiological data suggest that use of some NSAIDs (particularly at high doses and in long term treatment) may be associated with a small increased risk of arterial thrombotic events (for example myocardial infarction or stroke). There are insufficient data to exclude such a risk for piroxicam.

Piroxicam should be used with caution in patients with a history of bronchial asthma (see also section 4.3).

Patients who are known or suspected to be poor CYP2C9 metabolizers based on previous history/experience with other CYP2C9 substrates should be administered piroxicam with caution as they may have abnormally high plasma levels due to reduced metabolic clearance (see section 5.2).

Skin reactions

Life-threatening cutaneous reactions (Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)) have been reported with the use of piroxicam. Patients should be advised of the signs and symptoms and monitored closely for skin reactions. The highest risk for occurrence of SJS or TEN is within the first weeks of treatment.

If symptoms or signs of SJS or TEN (e.g. progressive skin rash often with blisters or mucosal lesions) are present, piroxicam treatment should be discontinued. The best results in managing SJS and TEN come from early diagnosis and immediate discontinuation of any suspect drug. Early withdrawal is associated with a better prognosis.

If the patient has developed SJS or TEN with the use of piroxicam, piroxicam must not be re-started in this patient at any time.

Serious skin reactions, some of them fatal, including exfoliative dermatitis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis, have been reported very rarely in association with the use of NSAIDs (see section 4.8). Evidence from observational studies suggests that piroxicam may be associated with a higher risk of serious skin reaction than other non-oxicam NSAIDs. Patients appear to be at highest risk of these reactions early in the course of therapy, the onset of the reaction occurring in the majority of cases within the first month of treatment. Piroxicam should be discontinued at the first appearance of skin rash, mucosal lesions, or any other sign of hypersensitivity.

Cases of fixed drug eruption (FDE) have been reported with piroxicam.

Piroxicam should not be reintroduced in patients with history of piroxicam-related FDE. Potential cross reactivity might occur with other oxicams.

Piroxicam should be used with caution in patients with renal, hepatic and cardiac impairment. In rare cases, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may cause interstitial nephritis, glomerulitis, papillary necrosis and the nephrotic syndrome. Such agents inhibit the synthesis of the prostaglandin which plays a supportive role in the maintenance of renal perfusion in patients whose renal blood flow and blood volume are decreased. In these patients, administration of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug may precipitate overt renal decompensation, which is typically followed by recovery to pre-treatment state upon discontinuation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory therapy. Patients at greatest risk of such a reaction are with congestive heart failure, liver cirrhosis, nephrotic syndrome and overt renal disease; such patients should be carefully monitored whilst receiving NSAID therapy. Because of reports of adverse eye findings with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, it is recommended that patients who develop visual complaints during treatment with piroxicam have ophthalmic evaluation.

Impaired female fertility

The use of piroxicam may impair female fertility and is not recommended in women attempting to conceive. In women who have difficulties conceiving or who are undergoing investigation of infertility, withdrawal of piroxicam should be considered.

Sotilen contains lactose monohydrate. Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take this medicine.

Sotilen also contain carmoisine which may cause allergic reactions.

Antacids: Concomitant administration of antacids had no effect on piroxicam plasma levels.

Anticoagulants: NSAIDs, including piroxicam, may enhance the effects of anticoagulants, such as warfarin. Therefore the use of piroxicam with concomitant anticoagulant such as warfarin should be avoided (see section 4.3).

Anti-platelet agents and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding (see section 4.4).

Aspirin and other Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs: piroxicam, like other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs decreases platelet aggregation and prolongs bleeding time. This effect should be kept in mind when bleeding times are determined.

As with other NSAIDs, the use of piroxicam together with acetylsalicylic acid or concomitant use with other NSAIDs, including other piroxicam formulations, must be avoided, since data are inadequate to show that combinations produce greater improvement that that achieved with piroxicam alone; moreover, the potential for adverse reactions is enhanced (see section 4.4). Human studies have shown that concomitant use of piroxicam and acetylsalicylic acid reduces the plasma piroxicam concentration to about 80% of the usual value.

Cardiac glycosides: NSAIDs may exacerbate cardiac failure, reduce GFR and increase plasma glycoside levels.

Ciclosporin, Tacrolimus: possible increased risk of nephrotoxicity when NSAIDs are given with ciclosporin or tacrolimus.

Cimetidine: Results of two separate studies indicate a slight but significant increase in absorption of piroxicam following cimetidine administration but no significant changes in elimination rate constants or half-life. The small increase in absorption is unlikely to be clinically significant.

Corticosteroids: increased risk of gastrointestinal ulceration or bleeding (see section 4.4).

Digoxin, Digitoxin: Concurrent therapy with piroxicam and digoxin, or piroxicam and digitoxin, did not affect the plasma levels of either drug.

Diuretics: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may cause sodium, potassium and fluid retention and may interfere with the natriuretic action of diuretic agents. These properties should be kept in mind when treating patients with compromised cardiac function or hypertension since they may be responsible for the worsening of those conditions.

Highly protein-bound drugs: piroxicam is highly protein-bound and therefore might be expected to displace other protein-bound drugs. The physician should closely monitor patients for change when administering piroxicam to patients on highly protein-bound drugs.

Lithium: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including piroxicam, have been reported to increase steady state plasma lithium levels. It is recommended that these levels are monitored when initiating, adjusting and discontinuing piroxicam.

Piroxicam, like other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, may interact with the following drugs/classes of therapeutic agents:

Antihypertensives – antagonism of the hypotensive effect
Methotrexate – Reduced excretion of methotrexate, possibly leading to acute toxicity
Quinolone antibiotics – possible increased risk of convulsions
Mifepristone – NSAIDs could interfere with mifepristone-mediated termination of pregnancy.

Pregnancy

Although no teratogenic effects were seen in animal testing, the safety of piroxicam during pregnancy or during lactation has not yet been established. Piroxicam inhibits prostaglandin synthesis and release through a reversible inhibition of the cyclo-oxygenase enzyme. This effect, as with other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, has been associated with an increased incidence of dystocia and delayed parturition in pregnant animals when drug administration was continued in late pregnancy. In view of the known effects of NSAIDs on the foetal cardiovascular system (risk of closure of the ductus arteriosus), use in the last trimester of pregnancy is contraindicated. The onset of labour may be delayed and the duration increased with an increased bleeding tendency in both mother and child (see section 4.3).

Inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis might adversely affect pregnancy. Data from epidemiological studies suggest an increased risk of spontaneous abortion after use of prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors in early pregnancy. In animals, administration of prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors has been shown to result in increased pre- and post-implantation loss. NSAIDs should not be used during the first two trimesters of pregnancy or labour unless the potential benefit to the patient outweighs the potential risk to the foetus.

Breast-feeding

A study indicates that piroxicam appears in the breast milk at about 1% to 3% of the maternal plasma concentrations. No accumulation of piroxicam occurred in milk relative to that in plasma during treatment for up to 52 days. Piroxicam is not recommended for use in nursing mothers as clinical safety has not been established.

Fertility

Based on the mechanism of action, the use of NSAIDs, including piroxicam, may delay or prevent rupture of ovarian follicles, which has been associated with reversible infertility in some women. In women who have difficulties conceiving or who are undergoing investigation of infertility, withdrawal of NSAIDs, including piroxicam, should be considered.

Undesirable effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, fatigue and visual disturbances are possible after taking NSAIDs. If affected, patients should not drive or operate machinery.

Gastrointestinal disorders: These are the most commonly encountered side-effects but in most instances do not interfere with the course of therapy.

Objective evaluations of gastric mucosa appearances and intestinal blood loss show that 20mg/day of piroxicam administered either in single or divided doses is significantly less irritating to the gastrointestinal tract than aspirin.

Some epidemiological studies have suggested that piroxicam is associated with higher risk of gastrointestinal adverse reactions compared with some NSAIDs, but this has not been confirmed in all studies. Administration of doses exceeding 20mg daily (of more than several days duration) carries an increased risk of gastrointestinal side effects, but they may also occur with lower doses (see section 4.2).

Oedema, hypertension, and cardiac failure, have been reported in association with NSAID treatment. The possibility of precipitating congestive heart failure in elderly patients or those with compromised cardiac function should therefore be borne in mind.

Clinical trial and epidemiological data suggest that use of some NSAIDs (particularly at high doses and in long term treatment) may be associated with a small increased risk of arterial thrombotic events (for example myocardial infarction or stroke) (see section 4.4).

Liver function: Changes in various liver function parameters have been observed. Although such reactions are rare, if abnormal liver function tests persist or worsen, if clinical symptoms consistent with liver disease develop, or if systemic manifestations occur (e.g.eosinophilia, rash etc.), piroxicam should be discontinued.

Other: Routine ophthalmoscopy and slit-lamp examination have revealed no evidence of ocular changes.

Reporting of suspected adverse reactions

Reporting suspected adverse reactions is an important way to gather more information to continuously monitor the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Any suspected adverse reactions should be reported to Pharmaceutical Services, Ministry of Health, CY-1475, www.moh.gov.cy/phs, Fax: +357 22608649.

None stated.