Buspirone (Systemic)

Brand Names : BuSpar, BuSpar DIVIDOSE, Bustab

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For buspirone, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to buspirone. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Buspirone has not been studied in pregnant women. However, buspirone has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether buspirone passes into the breast milk of humans.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of buspirone in children up to 18 years of age with use in other age groups.

Older adults - This medicine has been tested in a limited number of older adults and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking buspirone, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Erythromycin (e.g., ERYC, E.E.S.) or
• Itraconazole (e.g., Sporanox) - Higher blood levels of buspirone may occur, increasing the chance of side effects. Your doctor may change the dose of buspirone that you take

• Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor activity (isocarboxazid [e.g., Marplan], phenelzine [e.g., Nardil], procarbazine [e.g., Matulane], selegiline at doses more than 10 mg a day [e.g., Eldepryl], tranylcypromine [e.g., Parnate]) - Taking buspirone while you are taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors may cause high blood pressure

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of buspirone. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease - Buspirone may be removed from your body more slowly, which may increase the chance of side effects. Your doctor may need to adjust your dose