Trilipix Information and Uses

Trilipix

Trilipix Overview

Trilipix (generic: fenofibrate) is a prescription medication used to lower cholesterol and triglycerides (a type of fat), and to increase "good" cholesterol in the blood. It may be used alone or with other cholesterol-lowering medications. Trilipix belongs to a group of drugs called fibrates which work by increasing the activity of an enzyme involved in removing triglycerides and cholesterols from the body.

This medication comes in capsule form and is taken once a day, with or without food.

Common side effects of Trilipix include headaches, heartburn, nausea, and muscle aches.

Uses of Trilipix

Trilipix is a prescription medicine used to treat cholesterol in the blood by lowering the total amount of triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol, and increasing the HDL (good) cholesterol.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Side Effects of Trilipix

Trilipix may cause serious side effects, including:

muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness.
tiredness and fever.
abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting. These may be signs of inflammation (swelling) of the gallbladder or pancreas.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these serious side effects.

The most common side effects with Trilipix include:

headache
heartburn (indigestion)
nausea
muscle aches
increases in muscle or liver enzymes that are measured by blood tests

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of Trilipix. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

Trilipix Interactions

Using Trilipix with certain other medicines can affect the way these medicines work and other medicines may affect how Trilipix works. In some cases, using Trilipix with other medicines can cause serious side effects.

It is especially important to tell your healthcare provider if you take:

Heart medicine
anticoagulants, also known as blood thinners (warfarin, Coumadin)
bile acid resins

Trilipix can be used with other cholesterol-lowering medicines called statins. Other medicines or large amounts of grapefruit juice (more than a quart) may raise the levels of statins in your body, and could then raise the risk of muscle problems. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking:

Heart medicine
Stomach medicine
Antibiotic
Anti-fungal
Cholesterol-lowering medicine
Hormones
HIV/AIDS medicine
Antidepressant
Immunosuppressant
Anti-seizure medicine

Trilipix Precautions

Do not take Trilipix if you:

are allergic to fenofibric acid, or any of the ingredients in Trilipix. See the end of this Medication Guide for a list of all the ingredients in Trilipix.
have severe kidney disease.
have liver disease.
have gallbladder disease.
are a nursing mother.

Talk to your healthcare provider before you take Trilipix if you have any of these conditions.

Trilipix Food Interactions

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Trilipix there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Trilipix.

Trilipix can be used with other cholesterol-lowering medicines called statins. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with statins and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor.

Inform MD

Before taking Trilipix, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

are allergic to any medicines.
have ever had kidney problems.
have ever had liver problems.
have ever had gallbladder problems.
are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Trilipix will harm your unborn baby.
are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Trilipix passes into your breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take Trilipix or breastfeed. You should not do both.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.

It is especially important to tell your healthcare provider if you take:

Heart medicine
anticoagulants, also known as blood thinners (warfarin, Coumadin)
bile acid resins

Heart medicine
Stomach medicine
Antibiotic
Anti-fungal
Cholesterol-lowering medicine
Hormones
HIV/AIDS medicine
Antidepressant
Immunosuppressant
Anti-seizure medicine

Trilipix and Pregnancy

Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Trilipix will harm your unborn baby.

Trilipix and Lactation

Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if Trilipix passes into your breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take Trilipix or breastfeed. You should not do both.

Trilipix Usage

You should be on a low fat and low cholesterol diet while you take Trilipix.
Take Trilipix one time each day as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
Take Trilipix with or without food.
Swallow Trilipix capsules whole. Do not break, crush, dissolve, or chew Trilipix capsules before swallowing. If you cannot swallow Trilipix capsules whole, tell your healthcare provider, you may need a different medicine.
If you take a medicine called a statin, you can take Trilipix and your statin at the same time of day.
If you miss a dose of Trilipix, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, just skip the missed dose. Take the next dose at your regular time. If you are not sure about your dosing, call your healthcare provider. Do not take more than one dose of Trilipix a day unless your healthcare provider tells you to.
If you take too much Trilipix, contact your healthcare provider or your local emergency department.
Do not change your dose or stop Trilipix unless your healthcare provider tells you to.
Your healthcare provider may do blood tests before you start taking Trilipix and during treatment. See your healthcare provider regularly to check your cholesterol and triglyceride levels and to check for side effects.

Trilipix Dosage

Take Trilipix exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully. Your doctor will determine the best dose for you. The dosage of Trilipix must be individualized depending on other medicines you currently take, how you respond to Trilipix therapy, and other medical conditions you may have.

Co-administration Therapy with Statins for the Treatment of Mixed Dyslipidemia - Trilipix 135 mg may be co-administered with an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin) in patients with mixed dyslipidemia. For convenience, the daily dose of Trilipix may be taken at the same time as a statin, according to the dosing recommendations for each medication. Co-administration with the maximum dose of a statin has not been evaluated in clinical studies and should be avoided unless the benefits are expected to outweigh the risks.

Severe Hypertriglyceridemia - The initial dose of Trilipix is 45 to 135 mg once daily. Dosage should be individualized according to patient response, and should be adjusted if necessary following repeat lipid determinations at 4 to 8 week intervals. The maximum dose is 135 mg once daily.

Primary Hyperlipidemia or Mixed Dyslipidemia - The dose of Trilipix is 135 mg once daily.

Impaired Renal Function - Treatment with Trilipix should be initiated at a dose of 45 mg once daily in patients with mild to moderate renal impairment and should only be increased after evaluation of the effects on renal function and lipid levels at this dose. The use of Trilipix should be avoided in patients with severely impaired renal function.

Elderly Patients - Dose selection for the elderly should be made on the basis of renal function

Trilipix Overdose

If you take too much Trilipix call your local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical treatment right away.

Forms of Trilipix

Trilipix capsules are available in 45 mg and 135 mg strengths.

Active Ingredient: Fenofibric acid

Inactive Ingredients: Hypromellose, povidone, water, hydroxylpropyl cellulose, colloidal silicon dioxide, sodium stearyl fumarate, methacrylic acid copolymer, talc, triethyl citrate, gelatin, titanium dioxide, and yellow iron oxide. Additionally, the 45 mg capsule shell contains black iron oxide and red iron oxide, and the 135 mg capsule shell contains FD&C Blue #2.