Aminobenzoate Potassium (Systemic)

Brand Names : Potaba, Potaba Envules, Potaba Powder, KPAB, potassium aminobenzoate, potassium para-aminobenzoate

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 aminobenzoate potassium, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to aminobenzoate potassium or aminobenzoic acid (PABA). Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Diet - Make certain your health care professional knows if you are on any special diet, such as a low-sodium or low-sugar diet.

Pregnancy - Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in either humans or animals.

Breast-feeding - Aminobenzoate potassium has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children - Although there is no specific information comparing use of aminobenzoate potassium 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 - Elderly people may be more sensitive to certain symptoms of the low blood sugar side effect. These symptoms include confusion, difficulty in concentration, and headache. In addition, these symptoms may be harder to detect in elderly persons than in younger adults. This may increase the chance of problems during treatment with this medicine.

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 aminobenzoate potassium, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Aminosalicylates or
• Sulfonamides (sulfa medicine) - Aminobenzoate potassium may decrease the effects of these medicines

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

• Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) or
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) - The risk of the medicine causing hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) may be increased

• Kidney disease - Aminobenzoate potassium is removed from the body by the kidneys; higher blood levels of the medicine may occur if kidney disease is present, which may increase the chance of side effects