Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official and paediatric dosages, pregnancy and breastfeeding guidance, and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official and paediatric dosages, pregnancy and breastfeeding guidance, and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
What Ticagrelor is
What Ticagrelor is used for
How Ticagrelor works
Package leaflet: Information for the patient
Ticagrelor 90 mg Film-Coated Tablets
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start using this medicine because it contains important information for you.
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again. - If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist. - This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours. - If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
Ticagrelor contains an active substance called ticagrelor. This belongs to a group of medicines called antiplatelet medicines.
Ticagrelor in combination with acetylsalicylic acid (another antiplatelet agent) is to be used in adults only. You have been given this medicine because you have had:
• a heart attack, over a year ago. It reduces the chances of you having another heart attack, stroke or dying from a disease related to your heart or blood vessels.
Ticagrelor affects cells called 'platelets' (also called thrombocytes). These very small blood cells help stop bleeding by clumping together to plug tiny holes in blood vessels that are cut or damaged.
However, platelets can also form clots inside diseased blood vessels in the heart and brain. This can be very dangerous because:
• the clot can cut off the blood supply completely; this can cause a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or stroke, or
• the clot can partly block the blood vessels to the heart; this reduces the blood flow to the heart and can cause chest pain which comes and goes (called 'unstable angina').
Ticagrelor helps stop the clumping of platelets. This reduces the chance of a blood clot forming that can reduce blood flow.
Do not take Ticagrelor if:
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Ticagrelor if:
• You have an increased risk of bleeding because of:
• You have asthma or other lung problems or breathing difficulties.
• You have had a blood test that showed more than the usual amount of uric acid.
If you are taking both Ticagrelor and heparin:
Children and adolescents
Ticagrelor is not recommended for children and adolescents under 18 years.
Other medicines and Ticagrelor
• You are allergic to ticagrelor or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6). • You are bleeding now. • You have had a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain. • You have severe liver disease. • You are taking any of the following medicines:
- ketoconazole (used to treat fungal infections) - clarithromycin (used to treat bacterial infections) - nefazodone (an antidepressant) - ritonavir and atazanavir (used to treat HIV infection and AIDS) Do not take Ticagrelor if any of the above applies to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.
- a recent serious injury - recent surgery (including dental work, ask your dentist about this) - you have a condition that affects blood clotting - recent bleeding from your stomach or gut (such as a stomach ulcer or colon 'polyps') • You are due to have surgery (including dental work) at any time while taking Ticagrelor. This is because of the increased risk of bleeding. Your doctor may want you to stop taking this medicine 5 days prior to surgery.
• Your heart rate is abnormally low (usually lower than 60 beats per minute) and you do not already have in place a device that paces your heart (pacemaker).
• You develop irregular breathing patterns such as speeding up, slowing down or short pauses in breathing. Your doctor will decide if you need further evaluation.
• You have had any problems with your liver or have previously had any disease which may have affected your liver.
If any of the above apply to you (or you are not sure), talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.
• Your doctor may require a sample of your blood for diagnostic tests if they suspect a rare platelet disorder caused by heparin. It is important that you inform your doctor that you are taking both Ticagrelor and heparin, as Ticagrelor may affect the diagnostic test.
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This is because Ticagrelor can affect the way some medicines work and some medicines can have an effect on Ticagrelor.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines:
• rosuvastatin (a medicine to treat high cholesterol)
• rifampicin (an antibiotic)
• phenytoin, carbamazepine and phenobarbital (used to control seizures)
• digoxin (used to treat heart failure)
• cyclosporine (used to lessen your body's defences)
• quinidine and diltiazem (used to treat abnormal heart rhythms)
• beta blockers and verapamil (used to treat high blood pressure)
• morphine and other opioids (used to treat severe pain)
• 'oral anticoagulants' often referred to as 'blood thinners' which include warfarin.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
• more than 40 mg daily of either simvastatin or lovastatin (medicines used to treat high cholesterol)
In particular, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines that increase your risk of bleeding:
• Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (abbreviated as NSAIDs) often taken as painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (abbreviated as SSRIs) taken as antidepressants such as paroxetine, sertraline and citalopram
• other medicines such as ketoconazole (used to treat fungal infections), clarithromycin (used to treat bacterial infections), nefazodone (an antidepressant), ritonavir and atazanavir (used to treat HIV infection and AIDS), cisapride (used to treat heartburn), ergot alkaloids (used to treat migraines and headaches).
Also tell your doctor that because you are taking Ticagrelor, you may have an increased risk of bleeding if your doctor gives you fibrinolytics, often called 'clot dissolvers', such as streptokinase or alteplase.
It is not recommended to use Ticagrelor if you are pregnant or may become pregnant. Women should use appropriate contraceptive measures to avoid pregnancy while taking this medicine.
Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you are breast-feeding. Your doctor will discuss with you the benefits and risks of taking Ticagrelor during this time.
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
Driving and using machines Ticagrelor is not likely to affect your ability to drive or use machines. If you feel dizzy or confused while taking this medicine, be careful while driving or using machines.
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
How much to take
• The usual dose is one tablet of 60 mg twice a day. Continue taking Ticagrelor as long as your doctor tells you. • Take this medicine around the same time every day (for example, one tablet in the morning and one in the evening). Taking Ticagrelor with other medicines for blood clotting Your doctor will usually also tell you to take acetylsalicylic acid. This is a substance present in many medicines used to prevent blood clotting. Your doctor will tell you how much to take (usually between 75-150 mg daily). How to take Ticagrelor
• You can take the tablet with or without food. • You can check when you last took a tablet of Ticagrelor by looking on the blister. There is a sun (for the morning) and a moon (for the evening). This will tell you whether you have taken the dose. If you have trouble swallowing the tablet If you have trouble swallowing the tablet you can crush it and mix with water as follows:
• Crush the tablet to a fine powder. • Pour the powder into half a glass of water. • Stir and drink immediately. • To make sure there is no medicine left, rinse the empty glass with another half a glass of water and drink it. If you are in the hospital, you may be given this tablet mixed with some water and given through a tube via the nose (nasogastric tube). If you take more Ticagrelor than you should If you take more Ticagrelor than you should, talk to a doctor or go to hospital straight away. Take the medicine pack with you. You may be at increased risk of bleeding. If you forget to take Ticagrelor
• If you forget to take a dose, just take your next dose as normal. • Do not take a double dose (two doses at the same time) to make up for the forgotten dose. If you stop taking Ticagrelor Do not stop taking Ticagrelor without talking to your doctor. Take this medicine on a regular basis and for as long as your doctor keeps prescribing it. If you stop taking Ticagrelor, it may increase your chances of having another heart attack or stroke or dying from a disease related to your heart or blood vessels. If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The following side effects may happen with this medicine: Ticagrelor affects blood clotting, so most side effects are related to bleeding. Bleeding may occur in any part of the body. Some bleeding is common (like bruising and nosebleeds). Severe bleeding is uncommon but can be life threatening. See a doctor straight away if you notice any of the following – you may need urgent medical treatment:
side of the body - sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding others - sudden difficulty in walking or loss of balance or co-ordination - suddenly feeling dizzy or sudden severe headache with no known cause
• Signs of bleeding such as: - bleeding that is severe or that you cannot control - unexpected bleeding or bleeding that lasts a long time pink, red or brown urine - vomiting red blood or your vomit looks like 'coffee grounds' - red or black stools (look like tar) - coughing up or vomiting blood clots
(common)
• High level of uric acid in your blood (as seen in tests) • Bleeding caused by blood disorders Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
• Bleeding into the brain or inside the skull is an uncommon side effect, and may cause signs of a stroke such as: - sudden numbness or weakness of your arm, leg or face, especially if only on one
• Fainting (syncope) - a temporary loss of consciousness due to sudden drop in blood flow to the brain
• Signs of a blood clotting problem called Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) such as: - fever and purplish spots (called purpura) on the skin or in the mouth, with or
without yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), unexplained extreme tiredness or confusion Discuss with your doctor if you notice any of the following: • Feeling short of breath - this is very common. It might be due to your heart disease or another cause, or it might be a side effect of Ticagrelor. Ticagrelor-related breathlessness is generally mild and characterised as a sudden, unexpected hunger for air usually occurring at rest and may appear in the first weeks of therapy and for many may disappear. If your feeling of shortness of breath gets worse or lasts a long time, tell your doctor. Your doctor will decide if it needs treatment or further investigations. Other possible side effects Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
• Bruising • Headache • Feeling dizzy or like the room is spinning • Diarrhoea or indigestion • Feeling sick (nausea) • Constipation • Rash • Itching • Severe pain and swelling in your joints – these are signs of gout • Feeling dizzy or light-headed, or having blurred vision – these are signs of low blood pressure • Nosebleed
• The active substance is ticagrelor. Each film-coated tablet contains 90 mg of ticagrelor. • The other ingredients are:
Tablet core: Calcium phosphate dibasic anhydrous (E341), Mannitol powder (E421), Crospovidone Type B (E1202), Hypromellose HPMC 2910 (E464), Magnesium Stearate Vegetable (E470b), Water Purified.
Tablet film-coating: Hypromellose HPMC 2910 (E464), Titanium dioxide (E171), Macrogol (E1521), Iron Oxide Yellow (E172), Talc, Water Purified.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder Zydus Pharmaceuticals UK Ltd Sandretto Building Cavalry Hill Industrial Park Weedon Northampton England NN7 4PP United Kingdom Manufacturer Remedica Ltd. Aharnon Street Limassol Industrial Estate Limassol 3056 Cyprus And Pharmazac S.A. 31 Naousis Street Athens 10447 Greece
This leaflet was last revised in Sep-2024.
What Ticagrelor looks like and contents of the pack Film-coated tablet (tablet): Yellow, round, film-coated tablets, debossed with "90" on one side and plain on the other side. Ticagrelor is available in:
• Aluminium-PVC/PVDC blisters packs of 14, 30, 56, 60, 168 or 180 film-coated tablets and Aluminium-PVC/PVDC perforated unit dose blister with 100 x 1 filmcoated tablets.
What Ticagrelor contains
• Bleeding after surgery or from cuts (for example while shaving) and wounds more than is normal • Bleeding from your stomach lining (ulcer) • Bleeding gums Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
• Allergic reaction – a rash, itching or a swollen face or swollen lips/tongue may be signs of an allergic reaction • Confusion • Visual problems caused by blood in your eye • Vaginal bleeding that is heavier, or happens at different times, than your normal period (menstrual) bleeding • Bleeding into your joints and muscles causing painful swelling • Blood in your ear • Internal bleeding, this may cause dizziness or light-headedness Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
• Abnormally Low heart rate (usually lower than 60 beats per minute) Reporting of side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme. Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Ticagrelor 90 mg Film-Coated Tablets comes as tablet containing 90mg. Always follow the dose your doctor or pharmacist has given you, and read the leaflet that comes with the medicine.
The active substance in Ticagrelor 90 mg Film-Coated Tablets is ticagrelor.
Medicines with the same active substance, strength and form include: Brilique 90 mg Orodispersible Tablets, Brilique 90 mg film coated tablets, Ticagrelor 90 mg Film-coated Tablets. In total there are 13 equivalent products. They are interchangeable only if your prescriber or pharmacist says so.
This leaflet reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for Ticagrelor 90 mg Film-Coated Tablets, as published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). The version printed inside your medicine’s packaging is the one that applies to you.
Whether a medicine is available over the counter or on prescription only depends on its licence. Check the leaflet, or ask your pharmacist — they can tell you straight away.
The text above reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for this medicine, restructured for easier reading.
Ticagrelor, co administered with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), is indicated for the prevention of atherothrombotic events in adult patients with
- acute coronary syndromes (ACS) or
- a history of myocardial infarction (MI) and a high risk of developing an atherothrombotic event (see sections 4.2 and 5.1).
Posology Patients taking Ticagrelor should also take a daily low maintenance dose of ASA 75-150 mg, unless specifically contraindicated. Acute coronary syndromes Ticagrelor treatment should be initiated with a single 180 mg loading dose (two tablets of 90 mg) and then continued at 90 mg twice daily. Treatment with Ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily is recommended for 12 months in ACS patients unless discontinuation is clinically indicated (see section 5.1). Discontinuation of ASA may be considered after 3 months in patients with ACS who have undergone a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) procedure and have an increased risk of bleeding. In that case, ticagrelor as single antiplatelet therapy should be continued for 9 months (see section 4.4). History of myocardial infarction Ticagrelor 60 mg twice daily is the recommended dose when an extended treatment is required for patients with a history of MI of at least one year and a high risk of an atherothrombotic event (see section 5.1). Treatment may be started without interruption as continuation therapy after the initial one-year treatment with Ticagrelor 90 mg or other adenosine diphosphate (ADP) receptor inhibitor therapy in ACS patients with a high risk of an atherothrombotic event. Treatment can also be initiated up to 2 years from the MI, or within one year after stopping previous ADP receptor inhibitor treatment. There are limited data on the efficacy and safety of ticagrelor beyond 3 years of extended treatment. If a switch is needed, the first dose of Ticagrelor should be administered 24 hours following the last dose of the other antiplatelet medication. Missed dose Lapses in therapy should also be avoided. A patient who misses a dose of Ticagrelor should take only one tablet (their next dose) at its scheduled time. Special populations Elderly No dose adjustment is required in elderly (see section 5.2). Renal impairment No dose adjustment is necessary for patients with renal impairment (see section 5.2). Hepatic impairment Ticagrelor has not been studied in patients with severe hepatic impairment and its use in these patients is therefore contraindicated (see section 4.3). Only limited information is available in patients with moderate hepatic impairment. Dose adjustment is not recommended, but ticagrelor should be used with caution (see sections 4.4 and 5.2). No dose adjustment is necessary for patients with mild hepatic impairment (see section 5.2). Paediatric population The safety and efficacy of ticagrelor in children below the age of 18 years have not been established. There is no relevant use of ticagrelor in children with sickle cell disease (see sections 5.1 and 5.2). Method of administration For oral use. Ticagrelor can be administered with or without food. For patients who are unable to swallow the tablet(s) whole, the tablets can be crushed to a fine powder and mixed in half a glass of water and drunk immediately. The glass should be rinsed with a further half glass of water and the contents drunk. The mixture can also be administered via a nasogastric tube (CH8 or greater). It is important to flush the nasogastric tube through with water after administration of the mixture. <summary id="CONTRAINDICATIONS" data-evt="smpcSectionOpen"
• Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1 (see section 4.8). • Active pathological bleeding. • History of intracranial haemorrhage (see section 4.8). • Severe hepatic impairment (see sections 4.2, 4.4 and 5.2). • Co-administration of ticagrelor with strong CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. ketoconazole, clarithromycin, nefazodone, ritonavir and atazanavir), as co-administration may lead to a substantial increase in exposure to ticagrelor (see section 4.5). <summary id="CLINICAL_PRECAUTIONS" data-evt="smpcSectionOpen"
Bleeding risk The use of ticagrelor in patients at known increased risk for bleeding should be balanced against the benefit in terms of prevention of atherothrombotic events (see sections 4.8 and 5.1). If clinically indicated, ticagrelor should be used with caution in the following patient groups: • Patients with a propensity to bleed (e.g. due to recent trauma, recent surgery, coagulation disorders, active or recent gastrointestinal bleeding) or who are at increased risk of trauma. The use of ticagrelor is contraindicated in patients with active pathological bleeding, in those with a history of intracranial haemorrhage, and in patients with severe hepatic impairment (see section 4.3). • Patients with concomitant administration of medicinal products that may increase the risk of bleeding (e.g. non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), oral anticoagulants and/or fibrinolytics) within 24 hours of ticagrelor dosing. In two randomized controlled studies (TICO and TWILIGHT) in patients with ACS who have undergone a PCI procedure with a drug-eluting stent, discontinuing ASA after 3 months dual antiplatelet therapy with ticagrelor and ASA (DAPT), and continuing with ticagrelor as single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) for 9 and 12 months, respectively, has been shown to decrease the risk of bleeding with no observed increase in risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) compared with continued DAPT. The decision to discontinue ASA after 3 months and continue with ticagrelor as single antiplatelet therapy for 9 months in patients with an increased risk of bleeding should be based on clinical judgment considering the risk of bleeding versus the risk of thrombotic events (see section 4.2). Platelet transfusion did not reverse the antiplatelet effect of ticagrelor in healthy volunteers and is unlikely to be of clinical benefit in patients with bleeding. Since co-administration of ticagrelor with desmopressin did not decrease template-bleeding time, desmopressin is unlikely to be effective in managing clinical bleeding events (see section 4.5). Antifibrinolytic therapy (aminocaproic acid or tranexamic acid) and/or recombinant factor VIIa therapy may increase haemostasis. Ticagrelor may be resumed after the cause of bleeding has been identified and controlled. Surgery Patients should be advised to inform physicians and dentists that they are taking ticagrelor before any surgery is scheduled and before any new medicinal product is taken. In PLATO patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), ticagrelor had more bleeding than clopidogrel when stopped within 1 day prior to surgery but a similar rate of major bleeds compared to clopidogrel after stopping therapy 2 or more days before surgery (see section 4.8). If a patient is to undergo elective surgery and antiplatelet effect is not desired, ticagrelor should be discontinued 5 days prior to surgery (see section 5.1). Patients with prior ischaemic stroke ACS patients with prior ischaemic stroke can be treated with ticagrelor for up to 12 months (PLATO study). In PEGASUS, patients with history of MI with prior ischaemic stroke were not included. Therefore, in the absence of data, treatment beyond one year is not recommended in these patients. Hepatic impairment Use of ticagrelor is contraindicated in patients with severe hepatic impairment (see sections 4.2 and 4.3). There is limited experience with ticagrelor in patients with moderate hepatic impairment, therefore, caution is advised in these patients (see sections 4.2 and 5.2). Patients at risk for bradycardic events Holter ECG monitoring has shown an increased frequency of mostly asymptomatic ventricular pauses during treatment with ticagrelor compared with clopidogrel. Patients with an increased risk of bradycardic events (e.g. patients without a pacemaker who have sick sinus syndrome, 2nd or 3rd degree AV block or bradycardic-related syncope) have been excluded from the main studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of ticagrelor. Therefore, due to the limited clinical experience, ticagrelor should be used with caution in these patients (see section 5.1). In addition, caution should be exercised when administering ticagrelor concomitantly with medicinal products known to induce bradycardia. However, no evidence of clinically significant adverse reactions was observed in the PLATO trial after concomitant administration with one or more medicinal products known to induce bradycardia (e.g. 96% beta blockers, 33% calcium channel blockers diltiazem and verapamil and 4% digoxin) (see section 4.5). During the Holter substudy in PLATO, more patients had ventricular pauses >3 seconds with ticagrelor than with clopidogrel during the acute phase of their ACS. The increase in Holter-detected ventricular pauses with ticagrelor was higher in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) than in the overall study population during the acute phase of ACS, but not at one month with ticagrelor or compared to clopidogrel. There were no adverse clinical consequences associated with this imbalance (including syncope or pacemaker insertion) in this patient population (see section 5.1). Bradyarrhythmic events and AV blocks have been reported in the post-marketing setting in patients taking ticagrelor (see section 4.8), primarily in patients with ACS, where cardiac ischemia and concomitant drugs reducing the heart rate or affecting cardiac conduction are potential confounders. The patient's clinical condition and concomitant medication should be assessed as potential causes prior to adjusting treatment. Dyspnoea Dyspnoea was reported in patients treated with ticagrelor. Dyspnoea is usually mild to moderate in intensity and often resolves without need for treatment discontinuation. Patients with asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may have an increased absolute risk of experiencing dyspnoea with ticagrelor. Ticagrelor should be used with caution in patients with history of asthma and/or COPD. The mechanism has not been elucidated. If a patient reports new, prolonged or worsened dyspnoea this should be investigated fully and if not tolerated, treatment with ticagrelor should be stopped. For further details see section 4.8. Central sleep apnoea Central sleep apnoea including Cheyne-Stokes respiration has been reported in the post-marketing setting in patients taking ticagrelor. If central sleep apnoea is suspected, further clinical assessment should be considered. Creatinine elevations Creatinine levels may increase during treatment with ticagrelor. The mechanism has not been elucidated. Renal function should be checked according to routine medical practice. In patients with ACS, it is recommended that renal function is also checked one month after initiating the treatment with ticagrelor, paying special attention to patients ≥75 years, patients with moderate/severe renal impairment and those receiving concomitant treatment with an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB). Uric acid increase Hyperuricaemia may occur during treatment with ticagrelor (see section 4.8). Caution is advised in patients with history of hyperuricaemia or gouty arthritis. As a precautionary measure, the use of ticagrelor in patients with uric acid nephropathy is discouraged. Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (TTP) has been reported very rarely with the use of ticagrelor. It is characterised by thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia associated with either neurological findings, renal dysfunction or fever. TTP is a potentially fatal condition requiring prompt treatment including plasmapheresis. Interference with platelet function tests to diagnose heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) In the heparin induced platelet activation (HIPA) test used to diagnose HIT, anti-platelet factor 4/heparin antibodies in patient serum activate platelets of healthy donors in the presence of heparin. False negative results in a platelet function test (to include, but may not be limited to the HIPA test) for HIT have been reported in patients administered ticagrelor. This is related to inhibition of the P2Y 12 -receptor on the healthy donor platelets in the test by ticagrelor in the patient's sera/plasma. Information on concomitant treatment with ticagrelor is required for interpretation of HIT platelet function tests. In patients who have developed HIT, the benefit-risk of continued treatment with ticagrelor should be assessed, taking both the prothrombotic state of HIT and the increased risk of bleeding with concomitant anticoagulant and ticagrelor treatment into consideration. Other Based on a relationship observed in PLATO between maintenance ASA dose and relative efficacy of ticagrelor compared to clopidogrel, co-administration of ticagrelor and high maintenance dose ASA (>300 mg) is not recommended (see section 5.1). Premature discontinuation Premature discontinuation with any antiplatelet therapy, including Ticagrelor, could result in an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) death, MI or stroke due to the patient's underlying disease. Therefore, premature discontinuation of treatment should be avoided. Sodium Ticagrelor contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dose, i.e. is essentially 'sodium-free'. <summary id="INTERACTIONS" data-evt="smpcSectionOpen"
Ticagrelor is primarily a CYP3A4 substrate and a mild inhibitor of CYP3A4. Ticagrelor is also a P-glycoprotein (P-gp) substrate and a weak P-gp inhibitor and may increase the exposure of P-gp substrates. Ticagrelor is a breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) inhibitor. Effects of medicinal and other products on ticagrelor CYP3A4 inhibitors • Strong CYP3A4 inhibitors – Co-administration of ketoconazole with ticagrelor increased the ticagrelor C max and AUC equal to 2.4-fold and 7.3-fold, respectively. The C max and AUC of the active metabolite were reduced by 89% and 56%, respectively. Other strong inhibitors of CYP3A4 (clarithromycin, nefazodone, ritonavir and atazanavir) would be expected to have similar effects and therefore concomitant use of strong CYP3A4 inhibitors with ticagrelor is contraindicated (see section 4.3). • Moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors – Co-administration of diltiazem with ticagrelor increased the ticagrelor C max by 69% and AUC to 2.7-fold and decreased the active metabolite C max by 38% and AUC was unchanged. There was no effect of ticagrelor on diltiazem plasma levels. Other moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. amprenavir, aprepitant, erythromycin and fluconazole) would be expected to have a similar effect and can as well be co-administered with ticagrelor. • A 2-fold increase of ticagrelor exposure was observed after daily consumption of large quantities of grapefruit juice (3 x 200 ml). This magnitude of increased exposure is not expected to be clinically relevant to most patients. CYP3A inducers Co-administration of rifampicin with ticagrelor decreased ticagrelor C max and AUC by 73% and 86%, respectively. The C max of the active metabolite was unchanged and the AUC was decreased by 46%, respectively. Other CYP3A inducers (e.g. phenytoin, carbamazepine and phenobarbital) would be expected to decrease the exposure to ticagrelor as well. Co-administration of ticagrelor with potent CYP3A inducers may decrease exposure and efficacy of ticagrelor, therefore, their concomitant use with ticagrelor is discouraged. Cyclosporine (P-gp and CYP3A inhibitor) Co-administration of cyclosporine (600 mg) with ticagrelor increased ticagrelor C max and AUC equal to 2.3-fold and 2.8-fold, respectively. The AUC of the active metabolite was increased by 32% and C max was decreased by 15% in the presence of cyclosporine. No data are available on concomitant use of ticagrelor with other active substances that also are potent P-gp inhibitors and moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. verapamil, quinidine) that also may increase ticagrelor exposure. If the association cannot be avoided, their concomitant use should be made with caution. Others Clinical pharmacology interaction studies showed that co-administration of ticagrelor with heparin, enoxaparin and ASA or desmopressin did not have any effect on the pharmacokinetics of ticagrelor or the active metabolite or on ADP-induced platelet aggregation compared with ticagrelor alone. If clinically indicated, medicinal products that alter haemostasis should be used with caution in combination with ticagrelor. A delayed and decreased exposure to oral P2Y 12 inhibitors, including ticagrelor and its active metabolite, has been observed in patients with ACS treated with morphine (35% reduction in ticagrelor exposure). This interaction may be related to reduced gastrointestinal motility and applied to other opioids. The clinical relevance is unknown, but data indicate the potential for reduced ticagrelor efficacy in patients coadministered ticagrelor and morphine. In patients with ACS, in whom morphine cannot be withheld and fast P2Y 12 inhibition is deemed crucial, the use of a parenteral P2Y 12 inhibitor may be considered. Effects of ticagrelor on other medicinal products Medicinal products metabolised by CYP3A4 • Simvastatin – Co-administration of ticagrelor with simvastatin increased simvastatin C max by 81% and AUC by 56% and increased simvastatin acid C max by 64% and AUC by 52% with some individual increases equal to 2- to 3-fold. Co-administration of ticagrelor with doses of simvastatin exceeding 40 mg daily could cause adverse reactions of simvastatin and should be weighed against potential benefits. There was no effect of simvastatin on ticagrelor plasma levels. Ticagrelor may have a similar effect on lovastatin. The concomitant use of ticagrelor with doses of simvastatin or lovastatin greater than 40 mg is not recommended. • Atorvastatin - Co-administration of atorvastatin and ticagrelor increased atorvastatin acid C max by 23% and AUC by 36%. Similar increases in AUC and C max were observed for all atorvastatin acid metabolites. These increases are not considered clinically significant. • A similar effect on other statins metabolised by CYP3A4 cannot be excluded. Patients in PLATO receiving ticagrelor took a variety of statins, with no concern of an association with statin safety among the 93% of the PLATO cohort taking these medicinal products. Ticagrelor is a mild CYP3A4 inhibitor. Co-administration of ticagrelor and CYP3A4 substrates with narrow therapeutic indices (i.e. cisapride or ergot alkaloids) is not recommended, as ticagrelor may increase the exposure to these medicinal products. P-gp substrates (including digoxin, cyclosporine) Concomitant administration of ticagrelor increased the digoxin C max by 75% and AUC by 28%. The mean trough digoxin levels were increased about 30% with ticagrelor co-administration with some individual maximum increases to 2-fold. In the presence of digoxin, the C max and AUC of ticagrelor and its active metabolite were not affected. Therefore, appropriate clinical and/or laboratory monitoring is recommended when giving narrow therapeutic index P-gp dependent medicinal products like digoxin concomitantly with ticagrelor. There was no effect of ticagrelor on cyclosporine blood levels. Effect of ticagrelor on other P-gp substrates has not been studied. Medicinal products metabolised by CYP2C9 Co-administration of ticagrelor with tolbutamide resulted in no change in the plasma levels of either medicinal product, which suggests that ticagrelor is not a CYP2C9 inhibitor and unlikely to alter the CYP2C9 mediated metabolism of medicinal products like warfarin and tolbutamide. Rosuvastatin (BCRP substrate) Ticagrelor has been shown to increase rosuvastatin concentrations, which may result in increased risk of myopathy, including rhabdomyolysis. Consideration should be given to the benefits of prevention of major adverse cardiovascular events by use of rosuvastatin versus the risks with increased rosuvastatin plasma concentrations. Oral contraceptives Co-administration of ticagrelor and levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol increased ethinyl estradiol exposure approximately 20% but did not alter the pharmacokinetics of levonorgestrel. No clinically relevant effect on oral contraceptive efficacy is expected when levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol are co-administered with ticagrelor. Medicinal products known to induce bradycardia Due to observations of mostly asymptomatic ventricular pauses and bradycardia, caution should be exercised when administering ticagrelor concomitantly with medicinal products known to induce bradycardia (see section 4.4). However, no evidence of clinically significant adverse reactions was observed in the PLATO trial after concomitant administration with one or more medicinal products known to induce bradycardia (e.g. 96% beta blockers, 33% calcium channel blockers diltiazem and verapamil and 4% digoxin). Other concomitant therapy In clinical studies, ticagrelor was commonly administered with ASA, proton pump inhibitors, statins, beta-blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers as needed for concomitant conditions for long-term and also heparin, low molecular weight heparin and intravenous GpIIb/IIIa inhibitors for short durations (see section 5.1). No evidence of clinically significant adverse interactions with these medicinal products was observed. Co-administration of ticagrelor with heparin, enoxaparin or desmopressin had no effect on activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), activated coagulation time (ACT) or factor Xa assays. However, due to potential pharmacodynamic interactions, caution should be exercised with the concomitant administration of ticagrelor with medicinal products known to alter haemostasis. Due to reports of cutaneous bleeding abnormalities with SSRIs (e.g. paroxetine, sertraline and citalopram), caution is advised when administering SSRIs with ticagrelor as this may increase the risk of bleeding. <summary id="PREGNANCY" data-evt="smpcSectionOpen"
Women of childbearing potential
Women of childbearing potential should use appropriate contraceptive measures to avoid pregnancy during ticagrelor therapy.
Pregnancy
There are no or limited amount of data from the use of ticagrelor in pregnant women. Studies in animals have shown reproductive toxicity (see section 5.3). Ticagrelor is not recommended during pregnancy.
Breast-feeding
Available pharmacodynamic/toxicological data in animals have shown excretion of ticagrelor and its active metabolites in milk (see section 5.3). A risk to newborns/infants cannot be excluded. A decision must be made whether to discontinue breast-feeding or to discontinue/abstain from ticagrelor therapy taking into account the benefit of breast-feeding for the child and the benefit of therapy for the woman.
Fertility
Ticagrelor had no effect on male or female fertility in animals (see section 5.3).
Ticagrelor has no or negligible influence on the ability to drive and use machines. During treatment with ticagrelor, dizziness and confusion have been reported. Therefore, patients who experience these symptoms should be cautious while driving or using machines.
Summary of the safety profile The safety profile of ticagrelor has been evaluated in two large phase 3 outcome trials (PLATO and PEGASUS) including more than 39,000 patients (see section 5.1). In PLATO, patients on ticagrelor had a higher incidence of discontinuation due to adverse events than clopidogrel (7.4% vs. 5.4%). In PEGASUS, patients on ticagrelor had a higher incidence of discontinuation due to adverse events compared to ASA therapy alone (16.1% for ticagrelor 60 mg with ASA vs. 8.5% for ASA therapy alone). The most commonly reported adverse reactions in patients treated with ticagrelor were bleeding and dyspnoea (see section 4.4). Tabulated list of adverse reactions The following adverse reactions have been identified following studies or have been reported in post-marketing experience with ticagrelor (Table 1). Adverse reactions are listed by MedDRA System Organ Class (SOC). Within each SOC the adverse reactions are ranked by frequency category. Frequency categories are defined according to the following conventions: Very common (≥1/10), common (≥1/100 to <1/10), uncommon (≥1/1,000 to <1/100), rare (≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000), very rare (<1/10,000), not known (cannot be estimated from the available data). Table 1 Adverse reactions by frequency and system organ class (SOC) SOC Very common Common Uncommon Not known Neoplasms benign, malignant and unspecified (including cysts and polyps) Tumour bleedings a Blood and lymphatic system disorders Blood disorder bleedings b Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura c Immune system disorders Hypersensitivity including angioedema c Metabolism and nutrition disorders Hyperuricaemia d Gout/Gouty Arthritis Psychiatric disorders Confusion Nervous system disorders Dizziness, Syncope, Headache Intracranial haemorrhage m Eye disorders Eye haemorrhage e Ear and labyrinth disorders Vertigo Ear haemorrhage Cardiac disorders Bradyarrhythmia, AV block c Vascular disorders Hypotension Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders Dyspnoea Respiratory system bleedings f Gastrointestinal disorders Gastrointestinal haemorrhage g , Diarrhoea, Nausea, Dyspepsia, Constipation Retroperitoneal haemorrhage Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders Subcutaneous or dermal bleeding h , Rash, Pruritus Muscular bleedings i Musculoskeletal connective tissue and bone Renal and urinary disorders Urinary tract bleeding j Reproductive system and breast disorders Reproductive system bleedings k Investigations Blood creatinine increased d Injury, poisoning and procedural complications Post procedural haemorrhage, Traumatic bleedings l a e.g. bleeding from bladder cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer b e.g. increased tendency to bruise, spontaneous haematoma, haemorrhagic diathesis c Identified in post-marketing experience d Frequencies derived from lab observations (Uric acid increases to >upper limit of normal from baseline below or within reference range. Creatinine increases of >50% from baseline.) and not crude adverse event report frequency. e e.g. conjunctival, retinal, intraocular bleeding f e.g. epistaxis, haemoptysis g e.g. gingival bleeding, rectal haemorrhage, gastric ulcer haemorrhage h e.g. ecchymosis, skin haemorrhage, petechiae i e.g. haemarthrosis, muscle haemorrhage j e.g. haematuria, cystitis haemorrhagic k e.g. vaginal haemorrhage, haematospermia, postmenopausal haemorrhage l e.g. contusion, traumatic haematoma, traumatic haemorrhage m i.e. spontaneous, procedure related or traumatic intracranial haemorrhage Description of selected adverse reactions Bleeding Bleeding findings in PLATO Overall outcome of bleeding rates in the PLATO study are shown in Table 2. Table 2 Analysis of overall bleeding events, Kaplan-Meier estimates at 12 months (PLATO) Ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily N=9235 Clopidogrel N=9186 p-value* PLATO Total Major 11.6 11.2 0.4336 PLATO Major Fatal/Life-Threatening <p ALIGN="center"
Ticagrelor is well tolerated in single doses up to 900 mg. Gastrointestinal toxicity was dose-limiting in a single ascending dose study. Other clinically meaningful adverse reactions which may occur with overdose include dyspnoea and ventricular pauses (see section 4.8).
In the event of an overdose, the above potential adverse reactions could occur and ECG monitoring should be considered.
There is currently no known antidote to reverse the effects of ticagrelor, and ticagrelor is not dialysable (see section 5.2). Treatment of overdose should follow local standard medical practice. The expected effect of excessive ticagrelor dosing is prolonged duration of bleeding risk associated with platelet inhibition. Platelet transfusion is unlikely to be of clinical benefit in patients with bleeding (see section 4.4). If bleeding occurs other appropriate supportive measures should be taken.
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