Dipyridamole

Dipyridamole is not suitable for some people. For example, check with your doctor if you have a heart problem, a bleeding disorder or migraines.

Dipyridamole comes as tablets, slow-release capsules and a liquid. Always follow the instructions that come with your medicine.

Side effects of dipyridamole include feeling or being sick and feeling dizzy. More serious side effects can happen in rare cases.

Dipyridamole is not often taken during pregnancy. Always check with a pharmacist or doctor.

It can cause problems to take dipyridamole with some other medicines, such as painkillers or indigestion medicines. Check with a pharmacist or doctor.

There are some medicines that can affect how dipyridamole works.

Tell your doctor if you're taking:

• other medicines to prevent blood clots, such as low-dose aspirin, clopidogrel, ticagrelor, warfarin, dabigatran, apixaban or rivaroxaban
• medicines for high blood pressure, such as bisoprolol, ramipril or furosemide
• indigestion medicines, such as famotidine, proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole, or antacids that contain magnesium or aluminium
• medicines used to treat myasthenia gravis

Taking dipyridamole with painkillers

You can take paracetamol together with dipyridamole if you need a painkiller.

Do not take aspirin for pain relief (300mg tablets) or ibuprofen while you're taking dipyridamole unless a doctor has said it's OK to. They increase the risk of bleeding.

To prevent blood clots, your doctor may prescribe daily low-dose aspirin (75mg tablets) to take together with dipyridamole.

Taking dipyridamole with indigestion medicines

Some indigestion medicines, such as omeprazole, may reduce the effect of dipyridamole. This is important if you're taking dipyridamole as tablets or liquid, but it's not a problem if you're taking capsules.

If you need to take indigestion medicines, do not take them at the same time of day as dipyridamole tablets or liquid. Take them 2 to 3 hours before or after your dose of dipyridamole.

Dipyridamole is not often used in pregnancy. This is because there's little information about how the medicine may affect your baby. However, your doctor may advise you to take it if they think the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks.

If you're trying to get pregnant or you're already pregnant, talk to your doctor about the benefits and possible harms of taking dipyridamole. These will depend on how many weeks pregnant you are and the reason you need to take it.

There may be other medicines that are more suitable for you while you're pregnant.

If your doctor, midwife or health visitor says your baby is healthy, you may be able to take dipyridamole while breastfeeding. But talk to your doctor or a pharmacist before you take it.

It's not known how much dipyridamole gets into breast milk, but it's likely to be a small amount. It's unlikely to cause any side effects in your baby.

As a precaution, call 111 or talk to your doctor, midwife, or health visitor if you have any concerns about your baby. This includes:

• diarrhoea or being sick (vomiting)
• being irritable
• bruising or bleeding easily
• skin rashes

These common side effects of dipyridamole happen in more than 1 in 100 people. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

Try taking your tablets with or after food. It may also help if you avoid rich or spicy food.

If you're being sick, try small frequent sips of water to avoid dehydration. Signs of dehydration include peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee.

If you take the combined contraceptive pill or progestogen-only pill and you're being sick, your contraception may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet for advice.

Drink lots of water to avoid dehydration. Speak to a pharmacist if you have signs of dehydration, such as peeing less than usual or having dark, strong-smelling pee. Do not take any other medicines to treat diarrhoea without speaking to a pharmacist or doctor.

If you take the combined contraceptive pill or progestogen-only pill and you have severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours, your contraception may not protect you from pregnancy. Check the pill packet for advice.

Make sure you rest and drink plenty of fluids. Do not drink too much alcohol. Ask your pharmacist to recommend a painkiller. Talk to your doctor if the headaches are severe or do not go away.

If dipyridamole makes you feel dizzy when you stand up, try getting up very slowly or stay sitting down until you feel better. If you begin to feel dizzy, lie down so that you do not faint, then sit up for a while until you feel better.

Do not drive, ride a bike or use tools or machinery if you feel dizzy or a bit shaky.

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

The usual dose of dipyridamole for slow-release capsules is 200mg, taken twice a day.

The usual dose for tablets and liquid is 300mg to 600mg a day, divided into 3 or 4 smaller doses.

For children, a doctor will use your child's weight to work out the right dose. Children usually need to take it 2 or 3 times a day.

How to take slow-release capsules

Slow-release capsules release the medicine slowly in your body over several hours. You'll usually take 1 capsule in the morning and 1 capsule in the evening.

Take your capsules with or soon after a meal. Swallow them whole with a drink of water. Do not crush or chew them.

Capsules are not prescribed for children.

How to take tablets or liquid

If you're taking tablets or liquid, your doctor will tell you whether to take your dose 3 or 4 times a day. Take it before meals and try to stick to the same times each day. Swallow the tablet whole with a drink of water.

The liquid dipyridamole will come with a syringe or spoon to help you measure out the right dose. If you do not have a syringe or spoon, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon because it will not measure the right amount.

Most adults aged 18 years or over can take dipyridamole to prevent strokes or to prevent blood clots after heart valve replacement surgery.

It's sometimes prescribed for children to treat a rare condition called Kawasaki disease or to prevent blood clots after heart surgery.

Dipyridamole is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell your doctor if you:

• have ever had an allergic reaction to dipyridamole or any other medicine
• have angina or other heart problems, or have recently had a heart attack
• have myasthenia gravis, a rare condition that causes muscle weakness
• have any bleeding disorders, such as haemophilia or von Willebrand disease
• have low blood pressure (hypotension)
• have migraines
• are trying to get pregnant, already pregnant or breastfeeding