Asacol

Mesalamine, the generic name of Asacol, is a salicylic acid derivative and is said to be sulfasalazine’s active component. It is an anti-inflammatory drug that is used to treat ulcerative colitis, as well as Crohn’s disease.

Patients who are suffering from liver or kidney disease, or have aspirin allergies may be advised to avoid taking Asacol, or may have their dosages adjusted, or be advised to take special tests while under treatment.

The drug is available as Asacol 400mg Delayed-Release tablets in reddish brown, capsule-form tablets. Asacol tablets should not be chewed, crushed, or divided, but should be swallowed whole. Asacol drug is formulated in such a way that the medicine is released when it has already passed through the stomach and into the intestines. Patients who find undissolved Asacol tablets in their stool should notify their doctor at once.

Asacol works against the substance in the body which is responsible for damage of tissues, diarrhea, and inflammation. This medication is also taken to prevent the recurrence of ulcerative colitis symptoms.

Patients should avoid taking Asacol if they are allergic to aspirin or to such salicylates as Doans Pills, Salflex, Disalcid, Tricosal, Dolobid, among others. Prior using the drug, the doctor also needs to know if the patient has any of the following: pyloric stenosis, liver disease, heart problem, kidney disease, or sulfasalazine allergy history. Patients who have one or more of these symptoms may be advised against taking Asacol, or may have their dosages altered. This particular medication falls under FDA pregnancy category B. This means that it is not known to cause harm to unborn babies. However, pregnant women, and those who are planning on getting pregnant while on medication should still consult their doctors. Nursing mothers should not take this drug unless advised by their doctors.

Your Asacol medication should be taken exactly as the doctor has prescribed. It should not be taken in larger doses, or for a longer period of time than what is recommended. Asacol tablets should be taken with a glass of water, either before or after a meal. There are no known restrictions on beverages, foods, or activities, while the patient is under treatment with Asacol, although some patients may be have certain restrictions. Moreover, there are some drugs which may affect the medication. Thus, your doctor should be informed about any other prescription or over-the-counter medications, herbal products, vitamins, and supplements, which the patient may be taking as well.

If there is a missed dose, it should be taken the instant the patient remembers it. If it’s almost the scheduled time for the next dose, the missed dose should be skipped and the regular schedule should be followed.

If a patient overdoses, immediate medical attention should be sought. Symptoms of overdose include dizziness, confusion, ringing in the ears, shortness of breath, diarrhea, headache, vomiting, sweating, and drowsiness.

Side effects from the drug are not experienced by all the patients. However, there are minor Asacol side effects which may occur: fever, flu symptoms, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, mild nausea, stomach cramps, skin rash, constipation, dizziness, headache, and tiredness.

Although these are rare, serious side effects may happen to some patients. These are: fever, bloody diarrhea, severe pains in the stomach, headache, and cramping. Those who have allergic reactions to the medication may also experience these symptoms: hives; swelling of the tongue, lips, throat, and face; and difficulty in breathing. All these conditions require emergency medical attention.

The goal of this medication is to provide a better quality of life to ulcerative colitis patients. However, this goal is not attainable without the patients’ proper use of this prescribed drug.