Fenostat Special Precautions

Atorvastatin: Liver effects: Liver function tests should be performed before the initiation of treatment and periodically thereafter. Patients who develop any signs or symptoms suggestive of liver injury should have liver function tests performed. Patients who develop increased transaminase levels should be monitored until the abnormality(ies) resolve. Should an increase in transaminases of greater than 3 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) persist, reduction of dose or withdrawal of Atorvastatin is recommended.
Atorvastatin should be used with caution in patients who consume substantial quantities of alcohol and/or have a history of liver disease.
Stroke Prevention by Aggressive Reduction in Cholesterol Levels (SPARCL): In a post-hoc analysis of stroke subtypes in patients without coronary heart disease (CHD) who had a recent stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) there was a higher incidence of hemorrhagic stroke in patients initiated on atorvastatin 80 mg compared to placebo. The increased risk was particularly noted in patients with prior hemorrhagic stroke or lacunar infarct at study entry. For patients with prior hemorrhagic stroke or lacunar infarct, the balance of risks and benefits of atorvastatin 80 mg is uncertain, and the potential risk of hemorrhagic stroke should be carefully considered before initiating treatment.
Skeletal muscle effects: Atorvastatin, like other HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, may in rare occasions affect the skeletal muscle and cause myalgia, myositis, and myopathy that may progress to rhabdomyolysis, a potentially life-threatening condition characterised by markedly elevated creatine kinase (CK) levels (>10 times ULN), myoglobinemia and myoglobinuria which may lead to renal failure.
There have been very rare reports of an immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM) during or after treatment with some statins. IMNM is clinically characterised by persistent proximal muscle weakness and elevated serum creatine kinase, which persist despite discontinuation of statin treatment.
Before the treatment: Atorvastatin should be prescribed with caution in patients with pre-disposing factors for rhabdomyolysis. A CK level should be measured before starting statin treatment in the following situations: Renal impairment; Hypothyroidism; Personal or familial history of hereditary muscular disorders; Previous history of muscular toxicity with a statin or fibrate; Previous history of liver disease and/or where substantial quantities of alcohol are consumed; In elderly (age >70 years), the necessity of such measurement should be considered, according to the presence of other predisposing factors for rhabdomyolysis; Situations where an increase in plasma levels may occur, such as interactions and special populations including genetic subpopulations.
In such situations, the risk of treatment should be considered in relation to possible benefit, and clinical monitoring is recommended.
If CK levels are significantly elevated (>5 times ULN) at baseline, treatment should not be started.
Creatine kinase measurement: Creatine kinase (CK) should not be measured following strenuous exercise or in the presence of any plausible alternative cause of CK increase as this makes value interpretation difficult. If CK levels are significantly elevated at baseline (>5 times ULN), levels should be remeasured within 5 to 7 days later to confirm the results.
Whilst on treatment: Patients must be asked to promptly report muscle pain, cramps, or weakness especially if accompanied by malaise or fever.
If such symptoms occur whilst a patient is receiving treatment with atorvastatin, their CK levels should be measured. If these levels are found to be significantly elevated (> 5 times ULN), treatment should be stopped.
If muscular symptoms are severe and cause daily discomfort, even if the CK levels are elevated to ≤5 x ULN, treatment discontinuation should be considered.
If symptoms resolve and CK levels return to normal, then re-introduction of atorvastatin or introduction of an alternative statin may be considered at the lowest dose and with close monitoring.
Atorvastatin must be discontinued if clinically significant elevation of CK levels (>10 x ULN) occur, or if rhabdomyolysis is diagnosed or suspected.
Concomitant treatment with other medicinal products: Risk of rhabdomyolysis is increased when atorvastatin is administered concomitantly with certain medicinal products that may increase the plasma concentration of atorvastatin such as potent inhibitors of CYP3A4 or transport proteins (e.g. ciclosporine, telithromycin, clarithromycin, delavirdine, stiripentol, ketoconazole, voriconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole and HIV protease inhibitors including ritonavir, lopinavir, atazanavir, indinavir, darunavir, etc). The risk of myopathy may also be increased with the concomitant use of gemfibrozil and other fibric acid derivates, boceprevir, erythromycin, niacin, ezetimibe, telaprevir, or the combination of tipranavir/ritonavir. If possible, alternative (non-interacting) therapies should be considered instead of these medicinal products. In cases where co-administration of these medicinal products with atorvastatin is necessary, the benefit and the risk of concurrent treatment should be carefully considered. When patients are receiving medicinal products that increase the plasma concentration of atorvastatin, a lower maximum dose of atorvastatin is recommended. In addition, in the case of potent CYP3A4 inhibitors, a lower starting dose of atorvastatin should be considered and appropriate clinical monitoring of these patients is recommended. Atorvastatin must not be co-administered with systemic formulations of fusidic acid or within 7 days of stopping fusidic acid treatment. In patients where the use of systemic fusidic acid is considered essential, statin treatment should be discontinued throughout the duration of fusidic acid treatment. There have been reports of rhabdomyolysis (including some fatalities) in patients receiving fusidic acid and statins in combination. The patient should be advised to seek medical advice immediately if they experience any symptoms of muscle weakness, pain or tenderness. Statin therapy may be re-introduced seven days after the last dose of fusidic acid. In exceptional circumstances, where prolonged systemic fusidic acid is needed, e.g., for the treatment of severe infections, the need for co-administration of Atorvastatin and fusidic acid should only be considered on a case by case basis and under close medical supervision.
Interstitial lung disease: Exceptional cases of interstitial lung disease have been reported with some statins, especially with long term therapy. Presenting features can include dyspnea, non-productive cough and deterioration in general health (fatigue, weight loss and fever). If it is suspected a patient has developed interstitial lung disease, statin therapy should be discontinued.
Diabetes Mellitus: Some evidence suggests that statins as a class raise blood glucose and in some patients, at high risk of future diabetes, may produce a level of hyperglycemia where formal diabetes care is appropriate. This risk, however, is outweighed by the reduction in vascular risk with statins and therefore should not be a reason for stopping statin treatment. Patients at risk (fasting glucose 5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L, BMI >30 kg/m², raised triglycerides, hypertension) should be monitored both clinically and biochemically according to national guidelines.
Fenofibrate: Secondary causes of hyperlipidemia: Secondary cause of hypercholesterolemia, such as uncontrolled type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, nephrotic syndrome, dysproteinemia, obstructive liver disease or alcoholism should be adequately treated before fenofibrate therapy is considered. Secondary cause of hypercholesterolemia related to pharmacological treatment can be seen with diuretics, β-blocking agents, estrogens, progestogens, combined oral contraceptives, immunosuppressive agents and protease inhibitors. In these cases it should be ascertained whether the hyperlipidemia is of primary or secondary nature (possible elevation of lipid values caused by these therapeutic agents).
Liver function: As with other lipid lowering agents, increases have been reported in transaminase levels in some patients. In the majority of cases these elevations were transient, minor and asymptomatic. It is recommended that transaminase levels are monitored every 3 months during the first 12 months of treatment and thereafter periodically. Attention should be paid to patients who develop increase in transaminase levels and therapy should be discontinued if AST (SGOT) and ALT (SGPT) levels increase to more than 3 times the upper limit of the normal range. When symptoms indicative of hepatitis occur (e.g. jaundice, pruritus), and diagnosis is confirmed by laboratory testing, fenofibrate therapy should be discontinued.
Pancreas: Pancreatitis has been reported in patients taking fenofibrate. This occurrence may represent a failure of efficacy in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia, a direct drug effect, or a secondary phenomenon mediated through biliary tract stone or sludge formation with obstruction of the common bile duct.
Muscle: Muscle toxicity, including rare cases of rhabdomyolysis, with or without renal failure, has been reported with administration of fibrates and other lipid-lowering agents. The incidence of this disorder increases in case of hypoalbuminemia and previous renal insufficiency. Patients with pre-disposing factors for myopathy and/or rhabdomyolysis, including age above 70 years, personal or familial history of hereditary muscular disorders, renal impairment, hypothyroidism and high alcohol intake, may be at an increased risk of developing rhabdomyolysis. For these patients, the putative benefits and risks of fenofibrate therapy should be carefully weighed up. Muscle toxicity should be suspected in patients presenting diffuse myalgia, myositis, muscular cramps and weakness and/or marked increases in CPK (levels exceeding 5 times the upper normal range). In such cases treatment with fenofibrate should be stopped. The risk of muscle toxicity may be increased if the drug is administered with another fibrate or an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, especially in case of pre-existing muscular disease. Consequently, the co-prescription of fenofibrate with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor or another fibrate should be reserved to patients with severe combined dyslipidemia and high cardiovascular risk without any history of muscular disease and with a close monitoring of potential muscle toxicity.
Renal function: Fenofibrate is contraindicated in severe renal impairment. Fenofibrate should be used with caution in patients with mild to moderate renal insufficiency. Dose should be adjusted in patients whose estimated glomerular filtration rate is 30 to 59 mL/min/1.73 m². Reversible elevations in serum creatinine have been reported in patients receiving fenofibrate monotherapy or co-administered with statins. Elevations in serum creatinine were generally stable over time with no evidence for continued increases in serum creatinine with long term therapy and tended to return to baseline following discontinuation of treatment. Treatment should be interrupted when creatinine level is 50% above the upper limit of normal. It is recommended that creatinine is measured during the first 3 months after initiation of treatment and periodically thereafter.
Effects on Ability to Drive and Use Machine: FENOSTAT has no or negligible influence on the ability to drive and use machines.