Ursodiol (Systemic)

Brand Names : Actigall, URSO 250, URSO, Ursofalk, ursodeoxycholic acid, UDCA

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 ursodiol, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to ursodiol or other products containing bile acids.

Diet - It is thought that body weight and the kind of diet the patient follows may affect how fast the stones dissolve and whether new stones will form. However, check with your doctor before going on any diet.

Pregnancy - Ursodiol has not been studied in pregnant women. However, ursodiol has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether ursodiol passes into the breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Although there is no specific information comparing use of ursodiol in children with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

Older adults - This medicine has been tested in a limited number of patients over 65 years of age and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults. However, elderly patients may be more sensitive than younger adults to the effects of ursodiol.

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. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

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

• Biliary tract problems or
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of pancreas) - These conditions may make it necessary to have surgery since treatment with ursodiol would take too long

• Liver problems or
• Liver damage (from not having a certain chemical in your liver to break down a substance called lithocholate) - May make condition worse