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Description
How does it work?
Lioresal tablets and syrup contain
the active ingredient baclofen, which is a muscle relaxant medicine.
(NB. Baclofen is also available without a brand name, ie as the generic
medicine.)
Baclofen is used to relax muscle
spasms that cause muscles to become rigid, painful or weak and prevent
the muscles being used voluntarily. Examples include muscle spasm and
rigidity in multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and following a stroke.
In situations such as these the muscle problems stem from damage to the
nerves in the brain or spinal cord.
Baclofen is thought to work by binding
to receptors in the spinal cord called GABA-B receptors. The effect of
this is to "damp down" the nerve signals that are carried in the spinal
cord to the muscles. This reduces the contraction and tension in the
muscles.
In conditions where there is painful
or disabling muscle spasm, baclofen can help to reduce stiffness and
enable people to undergo rehabilitation that increases their mobility.
What is it used for?
Relief from rigidity, tension and stiffness in muscles (spasticity) that are due to conditions such as:
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Multiple sclerosis
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Tumours in the spinal cord
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Motor neurone disease
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An injury of the neck or back causing serious damage to the nerves contained within the spinal cord (traumatic partial section)
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Stroke
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Cerebral palsy
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Head injury
Warning!
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This medicine may cause drowsiness. If
affected do not drive or operate machinery. Alcohol should be avoided,
as it is likely to make any drowsiness worse.
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You should not suddenly stop taking this
medicine, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
This is because suddenly stopping treatment could cause symptoms such
as anxiety, confusion, hallucinations, psychotic, manic or paranoid
states, convulsions, increased heart rate or temporary aggravation of
spasticity, particularly if the medicine has been taken for a long
time. When treatment with this medicine is to be stopped, the dose
should normally be decreased gradually over a period of one to two
weeks. Follow the instructions given by your doctor.
-
People with liver disorders should have their
liver function monitored while taking this medicine. Symptoms that may
suggest a liver problem include persistent nausea and vomiting,
abdominal pain, or the development of jaundice (a yellow colouring to
the skin and the whites of the eyes). Consult your doctor if you
experience any of these symptoms.
Use with caution in
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Elderly people
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Decreased kidney function
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Decreased liver function
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Disease affecting the airways or lungs (respiratory disease)
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People with difficulty passing urine due to increased tone in the urinary sphincter muscle
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Diabetes
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Epilepsy
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Stroke
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People who have previously had peptic ulcer disease
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Psychotic disorders
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Schizophrenia
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Depression
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Manic depression
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People suffering from confusion
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Parkinson's disease
Not to be used in
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.
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This medicine is not recommended for use in
pregnancy, particularly in the first trimester, unless considered
essential by your doctor. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
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The medicine passes into the breast milk, but at normal doses it is unlikely to harm the baby. Discuss with your doctor.
Label warnings
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This medicine may cause drowsiness. If affected do not drive or operate machinary. Avoid alcohol.
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Do not stop taking this medicine, except on your doctor's advice.
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. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that
all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
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Drowsiness
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Disturbances of the gut, such as nausea, vomiting, constipation or diarrhoea
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Lightheadedness
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Slow, shallow breathing (respiratory depression)
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Confusion
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Headache
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Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
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Mood changes
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Muscle weakness
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Shaky movements and unsteady walk (ataxia)
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Tremor
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False perceptions of things that are not really there (hallucinations)
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Nightmares
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Rapid involuntary movements of the eyes (nystagmus)
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Dry mouth
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Increased need to pass urine
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Decreased blood pressure
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Fits (convulsions)
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Visual disturbances
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug'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
ensure that the combination is safe.
If baclofen is taken with alcohol or
other medicines that cause drowsiness, increased drowsiness is likely.
Medicines that can cause drowsiness include the following:
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opiate painkillers, eg morphine, codeine
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benzodiazepines, eg diazepam
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sedating antihistamines, eg chlorphenamine
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sleeping tablets.
If baclofen is taken with tricyclic antidepressants, such as imipramine, severe muscular weakness may possibly occur.
Baclofen can lower blood pressure,
hence if it is taken by people taking blood pressure lowering medicines
(antihypertensives) this effect is likely to be increased. If you are
receiving medicines for high blood pressure your doctor may want to
decrease your doses to avoid your blood pressure falling too low.
If baclofen is taken in combination
with levodopa (for Parkinson's disease) side effects such as confusion,
hallucinations, headache and nausea may occur.
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