What is Omacor?
What is Omacor?
1. WHAT OMACOR IS AND WHAT IT IS USED FOR
Omacor contains highly purified omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and belongs to a group of so called reducers of cholesterol and triglycerides. Omacor is used:
- Together with other medicines for treatment after a heart attack
- To treat certain forms of increased triglycerides (fats) in the blood after changes to the diet have not worked
2. HOW TO TAKE OMACOR
Always take Omacor exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
- Swallow the capsules with a drink of water
- You may take the capsules at meal times to help reduce gastro-intestinal side effects
- Your doctor will decide how long you should take this medicine
Dose after a heart attack
The usual dose is one capsule a day.
Dose to treat high blood triglyceride levels (high levels of fat in the blood or hypertriglyceridaemia)
The usual dose is 2 capsules a day, as recommended by a doctor. If the medicine is not working well enough at this dose, your doctor may increase this to 4 capsules a day.
If you take more of Omacor than you should
If you accidentally take more of this medicine than you should, do not worry, as this is unlikely to need special treatment.
If you forget to take Omacor
If you miss a dose, take it when you remember unless it is almost time for your next dose, in which case take the next dose as usual. Do not take a double dose (twice the dose recommended by your doctor) to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
3. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
Like all medicines, Omacor can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The following are side effects that may happen with this medicine:
Common side effects (occur in 1 to 10 users in 100):
- Stomach problems and indigestion (dyspepsia)
- Feeling sick (nausea)
Uncommon side effects (occur in 1 to 10 users in 1,000):
- Abdominal and stomach pain
- Allergic reactions
- Dizziness
- Problems with taste
- Diarrhoea
- Being sick (vomiting)
Rare side effects (occur in 1 to 10 users in 10,000):
- Headache
- Acne
- Itchy rash (pruritus)
- High blood sugar levels
- Liver problems
Very rare side effects (occur in less than 1 in 10,000 users):
- Blood in your stools
- Low blood pressure
- Dry nose
- Raised red skin rash (hives or urticaria)
- Changes in the results of certain blood tests
If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist. TOP OF PAGE
What is hypertriglyceridaemia?
Hypertriglyceridaemia is a condition that frequently occurs with other abnormalities affecting blood lipids (fatty substances in the blood) such as high cholesterol. It is usually discovered after a routine test for blood lipids, but it may be associated with a diet high in saturated fats, high alcohol intake, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure or an overactive thyroid. It is important to reduce the level of triglycerides in the blood.
Lowering triglycerides also reduces the risk of atheroma (narrowing of blood vessels due to fatty deposits) and its consequences, such as heart attack.
The first step in reducing triglycerides is to make changes to lifestyle (eating a carbohydrate-controlled diet that is low in saturated fat, reducing alcohol consumption, increasing exercise and giving up smoking if necessary). Even if patients are being prescribed drugs to lower their triglycerides, it is important to maintain positive changes to their lifestyle.
TOP OF PAGEHow does Omacor help?
Treatment with Omacor has been shown to reduce triglyceride levels as a supplement to diet, as monotherapy or with other medicines that lower triglyceride levels. In some patients, the dosage may need to be increased from two to four Omacor capsules daily.1,2
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