Consumer Medicine Information

CARTIA is enteric coated (Duentric) low dose aspirin (100 mg). Low dose aspirin helps reduce blood stickiness, the tendency of blood to clot. CARTIA may be useful if you are at risk of angina, transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs or mini-strokes), stroke (due to a blood clot) or heart attacks if you already have heart or blood vessel disease.

The amount of aspirin in CARTIA is much less than you would need to take for a headache or other pain. If you require medication for temporary relief of these symptoms, we suggest you take (paracetamol).

Do not take CARTIA if:

• you have had an allergic reaction to non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs, aspirin or any of the other ingredients contained in this medicine. The ingredients are listed at the end of this leaflet. Signs of an allergic reaction may include an itchy skin rash, shortness of breath and swelling of the face or tongue. If you have taken aspirin before and became unwell, tell your doctor or pharmacist before taking the first dose.
• you are taking other products containing aspirin or anti-inflammatory medicines.
• pregnant. Do not use CARTIA during the first 6 months of pregnancy, except on doctor’s advice. Do not use at all during the last 3 months of pregnancy.
• breast feeding.
• you have a bleeding or clotting disorders – such as haemophilia, Von Willebrand’s disease or hypothrombinaemia.
• you have stomach bleeding or a history of stomach bleeding after treatment with aspirin or non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs.
• gastritis or an active or previous stomach ulcer.
• history of gout.
• you have asthma.
• severe kidney or liver failure.
• you are under 18 years of age.
• the expiry date printed on the pack has passed.
• the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.

If you are not sure whether you should use CARTIA, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Do not give this medicine to anyone else.

Before you take CARTIA tell your doctor or pharmacist if:

• you are or think you may be pregnant or if you intend to become pregnant. Your doctor or pharmacist will discuss with you the possible risks and benefits of using CARTIA during pregnancy.
• you have bronchial asthma.
• you have bleeding tendencies or take anticoagulant therapy (medicine which thins blood eg. warfarin).
• you have any kidney or liver problems.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines or have taken other medicines recently. This includes those medicines that you buy without a prescription. In particular, mention if you are taking medicines which:

• thin the blood (eg. warfarin)
• control arthritis or joint pain (eg. NSAIDS)
• treat gout (eg. probenecid)
• reduce inflammation (eg. prednisolone)
• control blood pressure
• control diabetes
• contain other salicylates or aspirin
• contain methotrexate, chlorpropamide, sulphinpyrazone or spironolactone
• contain corticosteroids

Some medicines may affect the way other medicines work. Your doctor or pharmacist will be able to tell you what to do when taking CARTIA with other medicines.

If you have not told the doctor or pharmacist about any of these things, tell him/her before you use CARTIA.

Use in children:

CARTIA is not recommended for use in children under 18 years of age. Consult a doctor before giving this medication to children or teenagers with chikenpox, influenza or fever.

How much to take:

Do not take more than recommended dose. The recommended dosage is one CARTIA tablet at the same time every day. Take your first tablet from the appropriately marked day, then follow the arrows.

If you have any concerns about how to use CARTIA, talk to the doctor or pharmacist.

How to take CARTIA:

Take CARTIA with a glass of water. CARTIA should be swallowed whole, without crushing, chewing or breaking the tablet.

CARTIA can be taken with or without food. Food does not alter the effects of CARTIA.

Take CARTIA at the same time each day. This will help you to remember when to take your medicine.

If you forget/miss a dose:

If you forget a dose of CARTIA, take it as soon as you remember. However, if the next dose is due within 12 hours, skip the missed dose. Take the next dose at the normal time. Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that has been missed. Using more than the prescribed dose can increase the chance of unwanted side effects.

Overdose:

Immediately telephone your doctor or Poisons Information Centre on 131126 or go to the emergency department at your nearest hospital if you or anyone else has taken a large amount of CARTIA. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. Be sure to show the doctor the CARTIA pack.

If you have any concerns about this, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Things you must do:

You must swallow CARTIA tablets whole. CARTIA has an enteric coating that prevents the aspirin from being released in your stomach. This reduces the chance of the aspirin upsetting your stomach. The aspirin is released lower down, in the intestines, where it is absorbed gradually in to the blood stream.

Things to be careful of:

It is advisable to withdraw aspirin at least one week before surgery. Blood donors should cease all forms of aspirin at least a week before giving blood. Aspirin prolongs the time for blood to clot.

Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how CARTIA affects you. CARTIA may cause dizziness or light-headedness in some people. Make sure you know how you react to CARTIA before you drive a car or operate machinery.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well during or after taking CARTIA.

Besides their main effect, medicines may have some unwanted effects. Unwanted effects do not always occur in every person. Most unwanted effects following CARTIA are mild, and may disappear without stopping CARTIA. However, some side effects may need medical treatment. Tell the doctor or pharmacist about any effect which is troublesome or ongoing.

Events reported during treatment or following CARTIA which may have been related to the medicine are listed below.

Mild events:

• Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following that are troublesome or ongoing:
  • heartburn
  • nausea

More serious events:

• Tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately if you notice any of the following:
  • increased bleeding (eg. bruising easily, nose bleeds)
  • itching or rashes
• As with other medicines there is a very small risk of serious allergic reaction. Contact your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department of your nearest hostpital if you notice any of the following
  • swelling of limbs, face, eyes, inside of nose, mouth or throat
  • shortness of breath, breathing or swallowing difficulties
  • hives, itching (especially of the hands or feet), reddening of skin (especially around the ears), or severe skin reactions
  • unusual tiredness or weakness that is sudden and severe
• Other signs of allergy to aspirin may include
  • asthma, rhinitis
  • swelling with fluid in tissues
  • redness, itchy rashes or pustular eruptions.

Other rare events that have been reported with aspirin include:

• increased or decreased excretion of uric acid
• dizziness, tinnitus, vertigo and deafness
• stomach ulceration

In the doses of aspirin administered in CARTIA the risk of these adverse events appears to be small.

You should tell the doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if any of these, or any other unusual events or problems occur during or after treatment with CARTIA.

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

Keep the medication in the pack until it is time to use it. Store below 25°C. Do not leave it in the car on a hot day. Do not store medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines. Store all medicines out of the children, such as in a locked cupboard.

If you stop taking CARTIA, ask the pharmacist what to do with any doses that are left over.

What it looks like:

CARTIA is an orange Duentric® coated tablet, which comes in calendar packs of 28, 84 and 168 tablets.

Ingredients:

The active ingredient in CARTIA is acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) 100mg. Other ingredients in CARTIA are guar gum, and a coating system including sunset yellow FCF aluminium lake (CI 15985).

CARTIA preparations do not contain sucrose, gluten or tartrazine.

CARTIA is for use under medical supervision only.

CARTIA comes in calendar packs of 28, 84 and 168 tablets (AUST R 192506).

Aspen Pharmacare Australia Pty Ltd
34036 Chandos Street St Leanards NSW 2065 Australia