• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• If you have further questions, ask your doctor or nurse.
• If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

1. What Parecoxib is and what it is used for.
2. What you need to know before you use Parecoxib.
3. How to use Parecoxib.
4. Possible side effects.
5. How to store Parecoxib.
6. Contents of the pack and other information.

• If you are allergic to parecoxib or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
• If you have had a serious allergic reaction (especially a serious skin reaction) to any medicines.
• If you have had an allergic reaction to a group of medicines called “sulfonamides” (e.g. some antibiotics used to treat infections).
• If you currently have a gastric or intestinal ulcer or bleeding in the stomach or gut.
• If you have had an allergic reaction to acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) or to other NSAIDs (e.g. ibuprofen) or to COX-2 inhibitors. Reactions might include wheezing (bronchospasm), badly blocked nose, itchy skin, rash or swelling of the face, lips or tongue, other allergic reactions or nasal polyps after taking these medicines.
• If you are more than 6 months pregnant.
• If you are breast-feeding.
• If you have severe liver disease.
• If you have inflammation of the intestines (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease).
• If you have heart failure.
• If you are about to have heart surgery or surgery on your arteries (including any coronary artery procedure).
• If you have established heart disease and/or cerebrovascular disease e.g. if you have had a heart attack, stroke, mini-stroke (TIA) or blockages to blood vessels to the heart or brain or an operation to clear or bypass blockages.
• If you have or have had problems with your blood circulation (peripheral arterial disease).

If any of these applies to you, you will not be given the injection. Tell your doctor or nurse immediately.

Do not use Parecoxib if you currently have a gastric or intestinal ulcer or gastrointestinal bleeding.

Do not use Parecoxib if you have severe liver disease.

Talk to your doctor or nurse before using Parecoxib:

• If you have previously had an ulcer, bleeding or perforation of the gastrointestinal tract.
• If you are taking acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) or other NSAIDs (e.g. ibuprofen).
• If you smoke or drink alcohol.
• If you have diabetes.
• If you have angina, blood clots, high blood pressure or raised cholesterol.
• If you are taking anti-platelet therapies.
• If you have fluid retention (oedema).
• If you have liver or kidney disease.
• If you are dehydrated – this may happen if you have had diarrhoea or have been vomiting (being sick) or unable to drink fluids.
• If you have an infection as it may hide a fever (which is a sign of infection).
• If you use medicines to reduce blood clotting (e.g. warfarin/warfarin like anticoagulants or novel oral anti-clotting medicines, e.g. apixaban, dabigatran, and rivaroxaban).
• If you use medicines called corticosteroids (e.g. prednisone).
• If you use a class of medicines used to treat depression called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (e.g. sertraline).

Parecoxib can lead to an increase in blood pressure or worsening of existing high blood pressure which may result in an increase in side-effects associated with heart conditions. Your doctor may want to monitor your blood pressure during treatment with Parecoxib.

Children and adolescents under the age of 18 should not be given Parecoxib.

Tell your doctor or nurse if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. Medicines can sometimes interfere with each other. Your doctor may reduce the dose of Parecoxib or other medicines, or you may need to take a different medicine. It’s especially important to mention:

• Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) or other anti-inflammatory medicines.
• Fluconazole – used for fungal infections.
• ACE inhibitors, Angiotensin-II inhibitors, beta blockers and diuretics – used for high blood pressure and heart conditions.
• Ciclosporin or Tacrolimus – used after transplants.
• Warfarin – or other warfarin like medicines used to prevent blood clots including newer medicines like apixaban, dabigatran, and rivaroxaban.
• Lithium – used to treat depression.
• Rifampicin – used for bacterial infections.
• Antiarrhythmics – used to treat an irregular heartbeat.
• Phenytoin or Carbamazepine – used for epilepsy.
• Methotrexate – used for rheumatoid arthritis and cancer.
• Diazepam – used for sedation and anxiety.
• Omeprazole – used for treating ulcers.

• If you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, tell your doctor. Parecoxib is not recommended in the first 6 months of pregnancy and you must not receive Parecoxib in the last three months of pregnancy.
• If you are breast-feeding, you must not receive Parecoxib, as a small amount of Parecoxib will be transferred to your breast milk.
• NSAIDs, including Parecoxib, may make it more difficult to become pregnant. You should tell your doctor if you are planning to become pregnant or if you have problems becoming pregnant.

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or nurse for advice before taking this medicine.

If the injection makes you feel dizzy or tired, do not drive or use machines until you feel better again.

This medicine contains less than 1mmol sodium (23mg) per ml, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.

• People with liver problems.
• People with severe kidney problems.
• Patients over 65 who weigh less than 50kg.
• People taking fluconazole.

If Parecoxib is used with strong pain killers (called opioid analgesics) such as morphine the dose of Parecoxib will be the same as explained above.

If you are given more Parecoxib than you should you may experience side-effects that have been reported with recommended doses.

• If you develop a rash or ulceration in any part of your body (e.g. skin, mouth, eyes, face, lips or tongue), or develop any other signs of an allergic reaction such as skin rash, swelling of the face, lips or tongue which may cause wheezing, difficulty breathing, or swallowing – this occurs rarely.
• If you have blistering or peeling of the skin – this occurs rarely.
• The onset of skin reactions can occur at any time but most often occur in the first month of treatment; the reported rate of these events appears to be greater for valdecoxib, a medicine related to parecoxib, as compared to other COX-2 inhibitors.
• If you have jaundice (your skin or the whites of your eyes appear yellow).
• If you have any signs of bleeding in the stomach or intestine, such as passing a black or blood-stained bowel movement or vomiting blood.

Very common: may affect more than 1 in 10 people

• Nausea (feeling sick).

Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people

• Change in your blood pressure (up or down).
• You may get back pain.
• Ankles, legs and feet may swell (fluid retention).
• You may feel numb – your skin may lose sensitivity to pain and touch.
• You may get vomiting, stomach ache, indigestion, constipation, bloating and wind.
• Tests may show abnormal kidney function.
• You may feel agitated or find it hard to sleep.
• Dizziness.
• There is a risk of anaemia - changes in red blood cells after an operation that may cause fatigue and breathlessness.
• You may get a sore throat or difficulty breathing (shortness of breath).
• Your skin may be itchy.
• You may pass less urine than usual.
• Dry socket (inflammation and pain after a tooth extraction).
• Increased sweating.
• Low levels of potassium in blood test results.

Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 people

• Heart attack.
• There is a risk of cerebrovascular disease e.g. stroke, or transient ischaemic attack (transient reduced blood flow to the brain)/mini-stroke or angina, or blockages to blood vessels to the heart or brain.
• Blood clot in the lungs.
• Worsening of high blood pressure.
• Ulcers in the digestive system, chronic stomach acid reflux.
• The heart may beat more slowly.
• Low blood pressure on standing.
• Blood tests may show abnormal liver function.
• You may bruise easily due to a low blood platelet count.
• Surgical wounds may become infected, abnormal discharge from surgical wounds.
• Skin discolouration or bruising.
• Complications with skin healing after operations.
• High sugar levels in blood tests.
• Injection site pain or injection site reaction.
• Rash, or raised itchy rash (hives).
• Anorexia (loss of appetite).
• Joint pain.
• High levels of blood enzymes in blood tests that indicate injury or stress to the heart, the brain, or muscle tissue.
• Dry mouth.
• Muscle weakness.
• Ear ache.
• Unusual abdominal sounds.

Rare: may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people

• Rash or ulceration in any part of your body (e.g. skin, mouth, eyes, face, lips or tongue), or any other signs of allergic reactions such as skin rash, swelling of the face, lips and tongue, wheezing, difficulty breathing or swallowing (potentially fatal).
• Swelling, blistering or peeling of the skin.
• Acute kidney failure.
• Hepatitis (inflamed liver).
• Inflammation of the gullet (oesophagus).
• Inflammation of the pancreas (can lead to stomach pain).

Not known: frequency cannot be estimated from the available data

• Collapse due to severe low blood pressure.
• Heart failure.
• Kidney failure.
• Racing or irregularity of the heartbeat.
• Breathlessness.

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or nurse. 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.

• The active substance is parecoxib (as parecoxib sodium). Each vial contains 40mg parecoxib, as 42.36mg parecoxib sodium. When reconstituted with 2ml solvent, provides 20mg/ml of parecoxib. When reconstituted in sodium chloride 9mg/ml (0.9%) solution, Parecoxib contains approximately 0.44mEq of sodium per vial.
• The other ingredients are:
  • Disodium hydrogen phosphate.
  • Phosphoric acid and/or sodium hydroxide (for pH adjustment).

Parecoxib is available as a white to off-white powder.

The powder is contained in colourless glass vials (5ml) with a stopper, sealed with a grey rubber stopper and an aluminium flip off seal.

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