How does it work?

Nootropil tablets and oral solution both contain the active ingredient piracetam. This is a medicine that is used to control twitching and jerking of the muscles. The way piracetam works is not fully understood. It may work by altering the availability of the brain's supply of neurochemicals (neurotransmitters, enzymes and hormones) or by improving the brain's oxygen supply.

What is it used for?

• Uncontrollable twitching or jerking of the muscles, particularly in the arms and legs, caused by a problem in the brain or nervous system (myoclonus of cortical origin). This medicine is used in combination with other treatments for this condition.

How do I take it?

• Nootropil tablets and oral solution can be taken either with or without food.
• The tablets should be swallowed with a drink.
• The oral solution has a bitter taste that can be reduced by following each dose with a drink of water or a soft drink.
• The dose prescribed and how often to take this medicine will vary from person to person. It is important to follow the instructions given by your doctor. These will be printed on the dispensing label that your pharmacist has put on the medicine.
• If you forget to take a dose just take your next dose as usual. Don't take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.

Warning!

• You should not suddenly stop taking this medicine unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
• This medicine may cause drowsiness. If affected do not drive or operate machinery.

Use with caution in

• Elderly people.
• Decreased kidney function.
• Decreased liver function.
• People at risk of bleeding, for example due to blood clotting disorders such as haemophilia, conditions such as peptic ulcers, or use of medicines to treat or prevent blood clots (eg heparins, anticoagulants such as warfarin, anti-platelet medicines such as dipyridamole or low-doss aspirin).
• People with a history of stroke caused by bleeding in the brain (haemorrhagic stroke).
• People due to have surgery, including dental surgery.
• Nootropil tablets and oral solution contain sodium. This should be taken into account if you are on a low sodium diet.

Not to be used in

• Children under 16 years of age.
• Severely decreased kidney function.
• People with any bleeding in the brain.
• Huntington’s chorea.
• Breastfeeding.

This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.

If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

• The safety of this medicine for use during pregnancy has not been established. For this reason, it should not be used in pregnancy unless considered essential by your doctor, and only if the benefit of its use outweighs the risk to the unborn child. Women who could get pregnant should use a reliable method of contraception to avoid getting pregnant while taking this medicine. Seek further medical advice from your doctor.
• This medicine passes into breast milk. It should not be used by breastfeeding mothers. Mothers who need treatment with this medicine should not breastfeed and bottlefeed instead. Discuss this with your doctor.

Label warnings

• This medication may cause drowsiness. If affected do not drive or operate machinery.

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the medicine's manufacturer.

For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to make sure that the combination is safe.

There may be an increased risk of bleeding if this medicine is used by people taking other medicines that affect blood clotting and increase the risk of bleeding, such as those listed below:

• acenocoumarol
• low-dose aspirin
• bivalirudin
• clopidogrel
• dabigatran
• danaparoid
• dextran
• dipyridamole
• fondaparinux
• heparins or low-molecular weight heparins
• lepirudin
• phenindione
• prasugrel
• rivaroxaban
• sulfinpyrazone
• thrombolytic agents (clot-busters), eg alteplase, streptokinase
• glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonists, eg abciximab, eptifibatide and tirofiban
• warfarin.