Biltricide
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Accepted at over 60,000 pharmacies nationwide
Generic Name: praziquantel
(PRAZ i KWON tel)
What is Biltricide?
Biltricide is an anthelmintic (an-thel-MIN-tik) or anti-worm medication. It prevents newly hatched insect larvae (worms) from growing or multiplying in your body.
Biltricide is used to treat infections caused by Schistosoma worms, which enter the body through skin that has come into contact with contaminated water. Schistosoma worms are found in Africa, South America, Middle Eastern countries, the Carribean, and parts of Asia.
Biltricide is also used to treat infection with liver flukes, caused by a type of worm found in East Asia. This worm enters the body while eating contaminated fish.
Biltricide should not be used to treat parasitic infections in the eye.
Biltricide may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about Biltricide?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to Biltricide, or if you are also taking rifampin (Rifadin, Rifater, Rifamate).
Before taking Biltricide, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease, heart disease, or liver disease.
Do not give this medication to a child younger than 4 years old.
Biltricide can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
Biltricide should be taken with a meal.
Do not crush or chew the Biltricide tablet. Swallow the pill whole.
Take this medication with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Biltricide?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to Biltricide, or if you are also taking rifampin (Rifadin, Rifater, Rifamate).
If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication:
- kidney disease
- heart disease; or
- liver disease.
FDA pregnancy category B. Biltricide is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
Biltricide can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Do not give this medication to a child younger than 4 years old.
How should I take Biltricide?
Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Take this medication with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.
Biltricide is usually taken 3 times in one day. Your doses should be taken 4 to 6 hours apart on that day.
Biltricide should be taken with a meal.
You may need to break a Biltricide tablet in order to get the correct dose. Follow your doctor's instructions.
Do not crush or chew the Biltricide tablet or portion of a tablet. Swallow the pill whole.
Store Biltricide at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Keep taking any remaining doses for the day on schedule, every 4 to 6 hours as directed. Do nottake extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a Biltricide overdose are not known.
What should I avoid while taking Biltricide?
Biltricide can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with Biltricide 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.
What are the possible side effects of Biltricide?
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.
Less serious side effects may include:
- tired feeling
- headache, dizziness;
- nausea, upset stomach
- mild fever; or
- mild skin rash.
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.
What other drugs will affect Biltricide?
Tell your doctor about all other medications you are using, especially:
- cimetidine (Tagamet)
- chloroquine (Aralen)
- itraconazole (Sporanox) or ketoconazole (Nizoral)
- dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol)
- erythromycin (E.E.S., EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin)
- St. John's wort
- rifabutin (Mycobutin) or rifapentine (Priftin)
- a barbiturate such as amobarbital (Amytal), butabarbital (Butisol), mephobarbital (Mebaral), secobarbital (Seconal), or phenobarbital (Solfoton)
- HIV medication such as efavirenz (Sustiva), etravirine (Intelence), nevirapine (Viramune), or ritonavir (Norvir)
- medicines to treat narcolepsy, such as armodafanil (Nuvigil) or modafanil (Progivil); or
- seizure medication such as carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol), felbamate (Felbatol), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal), or phenytoin (Dilantin), or primidone (Mysoline).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Biltricide. 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.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about Biltricide.
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.
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 1996-2009 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 4.01. Revision date: 06/30/2009.
