Piracetam

About piracetam

Piracetam acts on your brain and nervous system. It is thought to protect the part of your brain called the cerebral cortex against a lack of oxygen. The cerebral cortex is responsible for your thoughts and actions and plays a role in your movement, reasoning, perception and recognition.

Piracetam is used, alongside other medicines, to treat a movement disorder called cortical myoclonus. This condition causes short jerky muscle movements, particularly in your arms and legs.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking piracetam it is important that your doctor or pharmacist knows:

• Se você está grávida, tentando ter um bebê ou amamentando.

• If you have a blood clotting problem.

• If you have any kind of unusual bleeding or if you have recently had surgery.

• If you have ever had a bleed on the brain (a haemorrhage).

• If you have been told you have a type of movement disorder called Huntington's chorea.

• If you have problems with your kidney or liver.

• If you are on a controlled salt (sodium) diet.

• If you are taking thyroid hormones.

• Se você estiver tomando ou usando qualquer outro medicamento. Isso inclui quaisquer medicamentos que você esteja tomando e que estejam disponíveis para compra sem receita médica, bem como medicamentos fitoterápicos e complementares.

• Se você já teve uma reação alérgica a um medicamento.

• Before you start this treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside your pack. The leaflet will give you more information about piracetam and a full list of side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take piracetam exactly as your doctor tells you to. It is usually taken two or three times daily. The normal starting dose is nine tablets (three tablets in the morning, three at midday and three in the evening). Your dose may be increased over the first few weeks, and if so, your doctor will tell you how much to take and when to take it. Your dose will also be on the label of the pack to remind you, but if you are unsure about what to do, ask your pharmacist for further advice.

• Swallow the tablets with a drink of water. Do not break or chew the tablets, as piracetam has a bitter taste.

• Try to take your doses at the same times each day, as this will help you to remember to take them. You can take piracetam before or after meals.

• If you do forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember (unless it is nearly time for your next dose, in which case leave out the missed dose). Do not take two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.

• Tente manter suas consultas regulares com seu médico. Isso é para que seu médico possa verificar seu progresso.

• Tell your doctor if your symptoms worsen or do not improve after taking piracetam.

• Keep taking piracetam until your doctor tells you otherwise. Stopping suddenly can cause your symptoms to return, so your doctor may want you to reduce your dose gradually when this is necessary.

• Se você for se submeter a uma operação ou tratamento dentário, informe à pessoa que está realizando o tratamento quais medicamentos você está tomando.

• Se você comprar qualquer medicamento, verifique com um farmacêutico se eles são adequados para tomar com seus outros medicamentos.

Juntamente com seus efeitos benéficos, a maioria dos medicamentos pode causar efeitos colaterais indesejados, embora nem todos os experimentem. Estes geralmente melhoram à medida que seu corpo se ajusta ao novo medicamento, mas fale com seu médico ou farmacêutico se algum dos seguintes efeitos colaterais persistir ou se tornar problemático.

Se você sentir quaisquer outros sintomas que acha que podem ser devido a este medicamento, fale com seu médico ou farmacêutico.

• Mantenha todos os medicamentos fora do alcance e da vista das crianças.

• Armazene em local fresco e seco, longe de calor e luz diretos.