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ACETYLCYSTEINE is a brand name for Acetylcysteine. The medicine, its uses, side effects and dosage are the same regardless of brand.
Used for: Acetylcysteine 600 mg effervescent tablet is a mucolytic agent for the adjunctive therapy of respiratory tract disorders characterised by excessive, viscous mucus, including chronic obstructive airways disease.
Verbatim from this product's MHRA label. Tap a section to expand.
Posology In general the usual recommended dosage is:
Adults including elderly and adolescents 14 years: 600 mg (1 effervescent tablet) once daily.
Duration of therapy:
The duration of therapy is dependent on the nature and severity of the illness, and should be decided by the doctor. The effervescent tablets should be dissolved completely in a glass of water before use and taken after food. Hepatic and Renal Impairment In patients with impaired kidney or liver impairment there is insufficient data on whether dosage adjustments are required.
Hepatic and renal impairment can reduce clearance which may result in an increase in adverse drug reactions due to drug accumulation.
8. There are no studies on the efficacy and safety of once daily acetylcysteine 600 mg effervescent tablet in the adolescent population. However, mild, moderate or severe adverse reactions have been reported with the use of IV acetylcysteine in the adolescent population.
This product should be used with caution by patients with bronchial asthma and patients with a history of peptic ulcer disease. This product should be used with caution by patients with histamine intolerance. g. headaches, rhinitis, itching).
Acetylcysteine can, especially at the start of treatment, cause thinning and increased volume of bronchial secretions. If the patient is not able to expectorate this adequately, appropriate supportive measures should be implemented (such as postural drainage and suction removal).
No specific studies have been performed in patients with renal or hepatic impairment. Hepatic and renal impairment can reduce clearance and increase acetylcysteine plasma levels which may result in an increase in adverse drug reactions due to drug accumulation.
84% of the WHO recommended maximum daily intake of 2g sodium for an adult. These tablets contain sorbitol. Patients with rare hereditary problems of fructose intolerance should not take this medicine. Tablets in effervescent formulations present a risk of choking and aspiration, particularly to elderly patients, if swallowed whole.
The tablet should therefore be dissolved fully before intake. 5 Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction Analysis of interactions with other medicines has been performed only in adults. Antitussives If this product is used in combination with cough-relieving medicines (antitussives) the suppressed cough reflex may cause a dangerous build-up of secretions, which means that the indication for this combination treatment should be established particularly carful.
Serious skin reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Lyell’s syndrome have been reported whilst taking acetylcysteine, but these occur rarely. For this reason, medical advice should be sought immediately and the patient should stop taking acetylcysteine in the event of new-onset changes to the skin and mucous membranes.
8. There are no studies on the efficacy and safety of once daily acetylcysteine 600 mg effervescent tablet in the adolescent population. However, mild, moderate or severe adverse reactions have been reported with the use of IV acetylcysteine in the adolescent population.
This product should be used with caution by patients with bronchial asthma and patients with a history of peptic ulcer disease. This product should be used with caution by patients with histamine intolerance. g. headaches, rhinitis, itching).
Acetylcysteine can, especially at the start of treatment, cause thinning and increased volume of bronchial secretions. If the patient is not able to expectorate this adequately, appropriate supportive measures should be implemented (such as postural drainage and suction removal).
No specific studies have been performed in patients with renal or hepatic impairment. Hepatic and renal impairment can reduce clearance and increase acetylcysteine plasma levels which may result in an increase in adverse drug reactions due to drug accumulation.
84% of the WHO recommended maximum daily intake of 2g sodium for an adult. These tablets contain sorbitol. Patients with rare hereditary problems of fructose intolerance should not take this medicine. Tablets in effervescent formulations present a risk of choking and aspiration, particularly to elderly patients, if swallowed whole.
The tablet should therefore be dissolved fully before intake.
1. These tablets should not be used in children under 14 years of age.
Not medical advice. Always read the patient information leaflet and follow your prescriber or pharmacist.
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Activated charcoal Co-administration with activated charcoal can reduce the effectiveness of acetylcysteine. Antibiotics Reports of inactivation of antibiotics (aminoglycosides, penicillins, tetracycline) by acetylcysteine indicate that this inactivation occurs only when these substances are mixed directly together in vitro.
Nevertheless, administration of oral doses of antibiotics and acetylcysteine effervescent tablets should be separated by minimum period of two hours. This does not apply to the antibiotics cefixime or loracarbef. Acetylcysteine and glyceryl trinitrate Simultaneous administration of these drugs may increase the vasodilatory and platelet aggregation-inhibiting effect of glyceryl trinitrate.
If such combined treatment is considered necessary, the patient should be monitored for possible hypotension, which can be serious and may be indicated by headaches. Interface with the measurement of laboratory parameters Acetylcysteine can influence the colourmetric assay of salicyclates.
Acetylcysteine can influence results when measuring ketones in urine. 6 Fertility, pregnancy and lactation Pregnancy There are no data on the use of acetylcysteine in pregnant women. 3). Breast-feeding There is insufficient information on the excretion of acetylcysteine or its metabolites in human milk.
Use during pregnancy and while breast- feeding should be subject to careful consideration of the risk/benefit balance. Fertility No human data on the effect of acetylcysteine are available. 7 Effects on ability to drive and use machines Acetylcysteine has no influence on the ability to drive and use machines.
000 to <1/ 100), Rare (> 1/10,000 to < 1/1,000), Very rare (< 1/10,000), Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data). Adverse ReactionsSystem/organ classes Uncommon Rare Very rare Not known Immune system disorders Hypersensitivity reactions Anaphylactic shock, anaphylactic/ anaphylactoid reactions Nervous system disorders Headache Ear and labyrinth disorders Tinnitus Cardiac disorders Tachycardia Vascular disorders Haemorrhage Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders Bronchospasm, dyspnoea Gastrointestinal disorders Vomiting, diarrhoea, stomatitis, abdominal pain, nausea Dyspepsia Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders Urticaria, rash, angioedema, pruritus, exanthemaGeneral disorders Fever Facial oedema Investigations Hypotension Serious skin reactions, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome and Lyell’s syndrome, have been reported whilst taking acetylcysteine, but these occur rarely.
In most reported cases at least one further medicine was being taken simultaneously, so the described muco- cutaneous effects could be exacerbated. For this reason, in the event of new-onset changes of the skin and mucous membranes medical advice should be sought immediately and the patient should stop taking acetylcysteine.
A reduction of blood platelet aggregation in the presence of acetylcysteine has been confirmed by various studies. The clinical relevance is not yet understood. Reporting of suspected adverse reactions Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important.
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