BPM PE

Generic Name: brompheniramine and phenylephrine (BROM fen IR a meen and FEN il EFF rin)Brand Names: Alacol, Alenaze-D, Alenaze-D NR, BPM PE, Brom Tann PE, Bromfed, Bromfed-PD Capsules, BroveX ADT, Children's Cold & Allergy, Dimaphen Elixir, Dimetapp Cold & Allergy, J-Tan D, J-Tan D SR, Phenyl 15/12mg, Phenyl 7.5/6mg, RespaHist II, Rhinabid, Rhinabid PD, Seradex-LA, Tanabid SR, VazoBid, VaZol-D, Vazotab, Zotex-PE

What is BPM PE (brompheniramine and phenylephrine)?

Brompheniramine is an antihistamine that reduces the natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.

Phenylephrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).

The combination of brompheniramine and phenylephrine is used to treat nasal congestion, sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose caused by allergies, hay fever, and the common cold.

Brompheniramine and phenylephrine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about BPM PE (brompheniramine and phenylephrine)?Do not give this medication to a child younger than 2 years old. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough or cold medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children. Do not use this medication if you are allergic to brompheniramine or phenylephrine, or to other decongestants, diet pills, stimulants, or ADHD medications. Do not use brompheniramine and phenylephrine if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take cold or allergy medicine before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist about taking brompheniramine and phenylephrine if you have heart disease or high blood pressure, diabetes, a thyroid disorder, glaucoma, kidney disease, and enlarged prostate, or problems with urination.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking BPM PE (brompheniramine and phenylephrine)?Do not use this medication if you are allergic to brompheniramine or phenylephrine, or to other decongestants, diet pills, stimulants, or ADHD medications. Do not use brompheniramine and phenylephrine if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take cold or allergy medicine before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take brompheniramine and phenylephrine if you have:

• heart disease or high blood pressure;

• diabetes;

• a thyroid disorder;

• glaucoma;

• kidney disease;

• an enlarged prostate; or

• problems with urination.

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Brompheniramine and phenylephrine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take BPM PE (brompheniramine and phenylephrine)?

Use this medication exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Cold medicine is usually taken for only a short time until your symptoms clear up.

Do not give this medication to a child younger than 2 years old. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough or cold medicine to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children. Take the medicine with a full glass of water. Do not crush, chew, break, or open an extended-release capsule. Swallow the pill whole. Breaking or opening the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.

Measure liquid medicine with a special dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve, or if they get worse.

Store brompheniramine and phenylephrine at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include feeling restless or nervous, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, warmth or tingly feeling, or seizure (convulsions).

What should I avoid while taking BPM PE (brompheniramine and phenylephrine)?

This medication can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated during exercise and in hot weather.

Avoid drinking alcohol while you are taking this medication. Alcohol can add to drowsiness caused by an antihistamine.

Avoid taking diet pills, caffeine pills, or other stimulants (such as ADHD medications) without your doctor's advice. Taking a stimulant together with a decongestant can increase your risk of unpleasant side effects.

BPM PE (brompheniramine and phenylephrine) side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat;

• severe dizziness, anxiety, restless feeling, or nervousness;

• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness, fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;

• increased blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, trouble concentrating, chest pain, numbness, seizure);

• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);

Less serious side effects may include:

• drowsiness or dizziness;

• blurred vision;

• trouble urinating;

• mild loss of appetite;

• warmth, tingling, or redness under your skin;

• feeling excited or restless;

• sleep problems (insomnia); or

• skin rash or itching.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect BPM PE (brompheniramine and phenylephrine)?

Tell your doctor if you regularly use other medicines that make you sleepy (such as pain medication, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by brompheniramine and phenylephrine.

Tell your doctor about all other medications you are using, especially:

• medicines to treat high blood pressure;

• a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin), carteolol (Cartrol), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal), sotalol (Betapace), timolol (Blocadren), and others; or

• antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), clomipramine (Anafranil), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), and others.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with brompheniramine and phenylephrine. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about brompheniramine and phenylephrine.

• Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
• Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2006 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 7.09. Revision Date: 11/19/2009 11:58:23 AM.