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Details for: VIACORAM

Company: SERVIER CANADA INC

DIN DIN name Active Ingredient(s) Strength Dosage Form Route of Administration
02451530VIACORAMPERINDOPRIL ARGININE; AMLODIPINE (AMLODIPINE BESYLATE)3.5 MG; 2.5 MGTABLETORAL
02451549VIACORAMAMLODIPINE (AMLODIPINE BESYLATE); PERINDOPRIL ARGININE5 MG; 7 MGTABLETORAL
02451557VIACORAMPERINDOPRIL ARGININE; AMLODIPINE (AMLODIPINE BESYLATE)14 MG; 10 MGTABLETORAL
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Summary Reports

Regulatory Decision Summary

Consumer Information

This information was provided by the drug’s manufacturer when this drug product was approved for sale in Canada. It is designed for consumers and care givers. It is a summary of information about the drug and will not tell you everything about the drug. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions about the drug.

What the medication is used for

VIACORAM® is used to treat mild to moderate high blood pressure. VIACORAM® should only be started in patients who are between the ages of 18 and 65.

What it does

VIACORAM® is a combination of two active ingredients, perindopril arginine and amlodipine.

Perindopril arginine

  • Is an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor.
  • ACE inhibitors help relax blood vessels and lower blood pressure by preventing ACE from producing angiotensin II which causes narrowing of blood vessels.
Amlodipine
  • Is a calcium channel blocker.
  • It blocks the transfer of calcium into the cells of the heart and blood vessels.
  • This helps the blood vessels relax and to decrease blood pressure.
This medicine does not cure your disease. It is important to continue taking VIACORAM® regularly even if you feel fine. Do not stop taking your medicine without the advice of your doctor.
When it should not be used

Do not take VIACORAM® if you:

  • Are less than 18 years old.
  • Are older than 65 and starting treatment.
  • Are allergic (hypersensitive) to perindopril or any other ACE inhibitor, or to amlodipine or any other calcium antagonists, or to any non-medicinal ingredient in the formulation.
  • Have experienced an allergic reaction (angioedema) with swelling of the hands, feet, or ankles, face, lips, tongue, throat, or sudden difficulty breathing or swallowing, to any ACE inhibitor or without a known cause. Be sure to tell your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist that this has happened to you.
  • Are taking a drug containing the combination of sacubitril/valsartan, due to the increased risk of serious allergic reaction which causes swelling of the face or throat (angioedema) when taken with VIACORAM®.
  • Have kidney problems.
  • Are already taking a blood pressure-lowering medicine that contains aliskiren and you have diabetes or kidney disease.
  • Have been diagnosed with hereditary angioedema: an increased risk of getting an allergic reaction that is passed down through families. This can be triggered by different factors, such as surgery, flu, or dental procedures.
  • Have narrowing of the mitral valve and left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (aortic stenosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy).
  • Have heart failure.
  • Are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Taking VIACORAM® during pregnancy can cause injury and even death to your baby.
  • Are breastfeeding. VIACORAM® passes into breast milk.
  • Are lactose intolerant or have one of the following rare hereditary diseases:
    • Galactose intolerance
    • Lapp lactase deficiency
    • Glucose-galactose malabsorption
    Because lactose is a non-medicinal ingredient in VIACORAM®.
  • Are on dialysis or any other type of blood filtration. Depending on the machine that is used, VIACORAM® may not be suitable for you.
  • Have kidney problems where the blood supply to your kidneys is significantly reduced (renal artery stenosis).
What the medicinal ingredient is

perindopril arginine and amlodipine.

What the non-medicinal ingredients are

Microcrystalline cellulose, lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, colloidal anhydrous silica.

What dosage form it comes in

VIACORAM® tablets are available in 3 combinations of perindopril/ amlodipine: 3.5 mg/2.5, 7 mg/5 mg, 14 mg/10 mg.

Warnings and precautions

Serious Warnings and Precautions

VIACORAM® should not be used during pregnancy. If you discover that you are pregnant while taking VIACORAM®, stop the medication and contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist as soon as possible.

BEFORE you use VIACORAM® talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you:

  • Are allergic to any drug used to lower blood pressure.
  • Have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (cardiac muscle disease) or renal artery stenosis (narrowing of the artery which supplies the kidney with blood).
  • Have heart failure.
  • Have a severe increase in blood pressure (hypertensive crisis).
  • Are taking a medicine that contains aliskiren used to lower high blood pressure. The combination with VIACORAM® is not recommended.
  • Are taking an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB). You can recognize an ARB because its medicinal ingredient ends in "-SARTAN".
  • Have diabetes, heart, liver or kidney disease (including kidney transplantation).
  • Are on dialysis.
  • Are dehydrated or suffer from excessive vomiting, diarrhea, or sweating.
  • Are taking a salt substitute that contains potassium, potassium supplements, or a potassium-sparing diuretic (a specific kind of “water pill”).
  • Are on a low-salt diet.
  • Are less than 18 years old or are older than 65.
  • Have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
  • Have a skin condition known as scleroderma or “hard skin” (thickening of the skin).
  • Have recently received or are planning to get allergy shots for bee or wasp stings.
  • Have abnormally increased levels of a hormone called aldosterone in your blood (primary aldosteronism).
Monitoring: Your physician may monitor your blood and kidney function while taking VIACORAM®.

Surgery: If you are going to have surgery and will be given an anesthetic, be sure to tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking VIACORAM®.

Driving and using machines: Wait until you know how you feel while taking VIACORAM® before driving or using machines. Dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea, weariness or fainting can occur, especially after the first dose and when the dose is increased.
Interactions with this medication

As with most medicines, interactions with other drugs are possible. Tell your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about all the medicines you take, including drugs prescribed by other doctors, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements, or alternative medicines.

The following may interact with VIACORAM®:

  • Agents increasing serum potassium, such as a salt substitute that contains potassium, potassium supplements, or a potassium-sparing diuretic (a specific kind of “water pill”).
  • Allopurinol used to treat gout.
  • Antidiabetic drugs, including insulin and oral medicines.
  • Blood pressure-lowering drugs, including diuretics (“water pills”), aliskiren-containing products, or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs).
  • Dextran sulphate, special intravenous fluid used to counteract life-threatening low blood pressure.
  • Lithium used to treat bipolar disorder.
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), used to reduce pain and swelling. Examples include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and celecoxib.
  • Vasodilators including nitrates (products that make the blood vessels become wider).
  • Procainamide used to treat irregular heartbeats.
  • Medicines to treat mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia etc (e.g. tricyclic antidepressants, antipsychotics, imipramine-like antidepressants, neuroleptics).
  • Immunosuppressants (medicines which reduce the defence mechanism of the body) used for the treatment of auto-immune disorders or following transplant surgery (e.g. ciclosporin, tacrolimus).
  • Heparin (medicines used to thin blood).
  • Ephedrine, noradrenaline or adrenaline (medicines used to treat low blood pressure, shock or asthma).
  • Baclofen used to treat muscle stiffness in diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
  • Some antibiotics such as rifampicin, erythromycin, clarithromycin.
  • Antiepileptic agents such as carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, fosphenytoin, primidone,
  • Itraconazole, ketoconazole (medicines used for treatment of fungal infections).
  • Alpha-blockers used for the treatment of enlarged prostate such as prazosin, alfuzosin, doxazosin, tamsulosin, terazosin).
  • Corticosteroids (used to treat various conditions including severe asthma and rheumatoid arthritis).
  • Gold salts, especially with intravenous administration (used to treat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis).
  • Ritonavir, indinavir, nelfinavir (used to treat HIV).
  • Trimethoprim (for the treatment of infections).
  • Estramustine (used in cancer therapy).
  • Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort, an herbal medicine used to treat depression).
  • Simvastatin (a cholesterol lowering medicine).
  • Anaesthetics.
  • Treatment for bee and wasp allergies.
  • Tetracosactide (used as a diagnostic agent in the clinic).
  • Neutral endopeptidase (NEP) inhibitors. The combination with VIACORAM® is not recommended.
  • Sirolimus, everolimus, temsirolimus and other drugs belonging to the class of mTOR inhibitors (used to avoid rejection of transplanted organs).
Grapefruit juice and grapefruit should not be consumed by people who are taking VIACORAM®. This is because grapefruit and grapefruit juice can lead to an increase in the blood levels of the active ingredient amlodipine, which can cause an unpredictable increase in the blood pressure lowering effect of VIACORAM®.
Proper use of this medication

Take VIACORAM® exactly as prescribed.

Tablets should be swallowed whole with a glass of water preferably at the same time each day, in the morning. It is recommended to take your dose before a meal.

Usual Dose

The initial recommended dose is one tablet of VIACORAM® 3.5 mg/2.5 mg once daily.

After a month of treatment, depending on how you respond to the treatment, your doctor may increase the dose to 7mg/5mg once a day.

If your blood pressure is not controlled after 1 month of treatment with 7 mg/5 mg dose, your doctor may prescribe the 14 mg/10 mg VIACORAM® tablet once daily.

One tablet of VIACORAM® 14 mg/10 mg once a day is the maximum recommended dose for high blood pressure.

Overdose

If you think you have taken too much VIACORAM® contact your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, hospital emergency department or regional Poison control Centre immediately, even if there are no symptoms.

Missed Dose

If you have forgotten to take your dose during the day, take the next one at the usual time. Do not double dose.

Side effects and what to do about them

Like all medicines, VIACORAM® can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Side effects may include:

  • cough,
  • swelling in the tissues of the body (oedema),
  • headache,
  • diarrhea,
  • nausea,
  • dizziness,
  • tiredness,
  • itching (erythema).

If any of these affects you severely, tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Serious side effects, how often they happen and what to do about them
Symptom / effect Talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist only if severe Talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist in all cases Stop taking drug and seek immediate medical help
Common
Low Blood Pressure: dizziness, fainting, light-headedness. May occur when you go from lying or sitting to standing up    
Palpitations: unusual fast or irregular heartbeats    
Edema: swelling of the hands, ankles or feet    
Electrolyte Imbalance: weakness, drowsiness, muscle pain or cramps, irregular heartbeat    
Uncommon
Angina: sudden wheeziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, or difficulty in breathing    
Increased levels of potassium in the blood (hyperkalemia): irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness and generally feeling unwell    
Angioedema and Severe Allergic Reaction: rash, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, difficulty swallowing or breathing    
Kidney Disorder: change in frequency of urination, nausea, vomiting, swelling of extremities, fatigue    
Decreased Platelet: bruising, bleeding, fatigue and weakness    
Decreased White Blood Cells: infections, fatigue, fever, aches, pains, and flu-like symptoms    
Cerebrovascular accident/Stroke: slurring speech, blurred vision, face drooping    
Rare
Psoriasis aggravation    
Very rare
Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis): abdominal pain that lasts and gets worse when you lie down, nausea and vomiting    
Severe skin reactions (Steven-Johnson Syndrome): intense skin rash, hives, reddening of the skin over your whole body, severe itching, blistering, peeling and swelling of the skin, inflammation of mucous membranes.    
Liver problems: abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, jaundice (yellowing of eyes and skin).    
Myocardial infarction: heart attack, chest pain    
SIADH (syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion): concentrated urine (dark in colour), feel or are sick, have muscle cramps, confusion and fits (seizures) which may be due to inappropriate secretion of ADH (anti-diuretic hormone).    
Unknown
Extrapyramidal disorder: Muscle stiffness, body spasms, upward eye rolling, exaggeration of reflexes, drooling, difficulty moving how and when you want.    
Phemphigoid: formation of blister clusters over the skin    
Toxic epidermal necrolysis: intense skin rash, hives, reddening of the skin over your whole body, severe itching, blistering, peeling and swelling of the skin, inflammation of mucous membranes    
Raynaud’s phenomenon: Discoloration, numbness and pain in fingers or toes.    

This is not a complete list of side effects. For any unexpected effects while taking VIACORAM®, contact your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

How to store

Keep out of reach and sight of children.
Store at room temperature (15-30°C). Protect from light.
Do not use after the expiry date stated on the carton, blister or bottle.

Reporting side effects

Reporting Side Effects

You can help improve the safe use of health products for Canadians by reporting serious and unexpected side effects to Health Canada. Your report may help to identify new side effects and change the product safety information.
3 ways to report:

  • Online at MedEffect ((www.healthcanada.gc.ca/medeffect);
  • By calling 1-866-234-2345 (toll-free);
    • By completing a Consumer Side Effect Reporting Form and sending it by:
    • Fax to 1-866-678-6789 (toll-free), or
    • Mail to: Canada Vigilance Program
Health Canada, Postal Locator 0701E Ottawa, ON
K1A 0K9
Postage paid labels and the Consumer Side Effect Reporting Form are available at MedEffect.

NOTE: Contact your health professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.
More information

This document plus the full product monograph, prepared for health professionals can be found at www.servier.ca or by contacting the sponsor, Servier Canada Inc., at: 1-800-363- 6093

This leaflet was prepared by Servier Canada Inc.
SERVIER CANADA INC.
235, Boulevard Armand Frappier
Laval, Québec
H7V 4A7

Last revised: July 3, 2019

Date modified: