Gemfibrozil

INDICATIONS AND USAGE Gemfibrozil Tablets are indicated as adjunctive therapy to diet for: 1. Treatment of adult patients with very high elevations of serum triglyceride levels (Types IV and V hyperlipidemia) who present a risk of pancreatitis and who do not respond adequately to a determined dietary effort to control them. Patients who present such risk typically have serum triglycerides over 2,000 mg/dL and have elevations of VLDL-cholesterol as well as fasting chylomicrons (Type V hyperlipidemia). Subjects who consistently have total serum or plasma triglycerides below 1,000 mg/dL are unlikely to present a risk of pancreatitis. Gemfibrozil therapy may be considered for those subjects with triglyceride elevations between 1,000 and 2,000 mg/dL who have a history of pancreatitis or of recurrent abdominal pain typical of pancreatitis. It is recognized that some Type IV patients with triglycerides under 1,000 mg/dL may, through dietary or alcoholic indiscretion, convert to a Type V pattern with massive triglyceride elevations accompanying fasting chylomicronemia, but the influence of gemfibrozil therapy on the risk of pancreatitis in such situations has not been adequately studied. Drug therapy is not indicated for patients with Type I hyperlipoproteinemia, who have elevations of chylomicrons and plasma triglycerides, but who have normal levels of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL). Inspection of plasma refrigerated for 14 hours is helpful in distinguishing Types I, IV, and V hyperlipoproteinemia. 2. Reducing the risk of developing coronary heart disease only in Type IIb patients without history of or symptoms of existing coronary heart disease who have had an inadequate response to weight loss, dietary therapy, exercise, and other pharmacologic agents (such as bile acid sequestrants and nicotinic acid, known to reduce LDL- and raise HDL-cholesterol) and who have the following triad of lipid abnormalities: low HDL-cholesterol levels in addition to elevated LDL-choles

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The recommended dose for adults is 1,200 mg administered in two divided doses 30 minutes before the morning and evening meals (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY ).

ADVERSE REACTIONS In the double-blind controlled phase of the primary prevention component of the Helsinki Heart Study, 2,046 patients received gemfibrozil for up to five years. In that study, the following adverse reactions were statistically more frequent in subjects in the gemfibrozil group: GEMFIBROZIL ( N = 2,046 ) PLACEBO ( N = 2,035 ) Frequency in percent of subjects Gastrointestinal reactions 34.2 23.8 Dyspepsia 19.6 11.9 Abdominal pain 9.8 5.6 Acute appendicitis 1.2 0.6 (histologically confirmed in most cases where data were available) Atrial fibrillation 0.7 0.1 Adverse events reported by more than 1% of subjects, but without a significant difference between groups: Diarrhea 7.2 6.5 Fatigue 3.8 3.5 Nausea/Vomiting 2.5 2.1 Eczema 1.9 1.2 Rash 1.7 1.3 Vertigo 1.5 1.3 Constipation 1.4 1.3 Headache 1.2 1.1 Gallbladder surgery was performed in 0.9% of gemfibrozil and 0.5% of placebo subjects in the primary prevention component, a 64% excess, which is not statistically different from the excess of gallbladder surgery observed in the clofibrate group compared to the placebo group of the WHO study. Gallbladder surgery was also performed more frequently in the gemfibrozil group compared to the placebo group (1.9% versus 0.3%, p=0.07) in the secondary prevention component. A statistically significant increase in appendectomy in the gemfibrozil group was seen also in the secondary prevention component (6 on gemfibrozil versus 0 on placebo, p=0.014). Nervous system and special senses adverse reactions were more common in the gemfibrozil group. These included hypesthesia, paresthesias, and taste perversion. Other adverse reactions that were more common among gemfibrozil treatment group subjects but where a causal relationship was not established include cataracts, peripheral vascular disease, and intracerebral hemorrhage. From other studies it seems probable that gemfibrozil is causally related to the occurrence of MUSCULOSKELETAL SYMPTOMS (see WARNINGS ), and to ABNORMAL LIVER FUNCTION TESTS and HEMATOLOGIC CHANGES (see PRECAUTIONS ). Reports of viral and bacterial infections (common cold, cough, urinary tract infections) were more common in gemfibrozil treated patients in other controlled clinical trials of 805 patients. Additional adverse reactions that have been reported for gemfibrozil are listed below by system. These are categorized according to whether a causal relationship to treatment with gemfibrozil is probable or not established: CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP PROBABLE CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP NOT ESTABLISHED General: weight loss Cardiac: extrasystoles Gastrointestinal: cholestatic jaundice pancreatitis hepatoma colitis Central Nervous System: dizziness somnolence paresthesiaperipheral neuritisdecreased libidodepression headache confusion convulsions syncope Eye: blurred vision retinal edema Genitourinary: impotence decreased male fertility renal dysfunction Musculoskeletal: myopathy myasthenia myalgia painful extremities arthralgia synovitis rhabdomyolysis (see WARNINGS and Drug Interactions under PRECAUTIONS ) Clinical Laboratory: increased creatine phosphokinase increased bilirubin increased liver transaminases (AST, ALT) increased alkaline phosphatase positive antinuclear antibody Hematopoietic: anemia leukopenia bone marrow hypoplasia eosinophilia thrombocytopenia Immunologic: angicedema laryngeal edema urticaria anaphylaxis Lupus-like syndrome vasculitis Integumentary: exfoliative dermatitis rash dermatitis pruritus alopecia photosensitivity Additional adverse reactions that have been reported include cholecystitis and cholelithiasis ( see WARNINGS ).