Complete adverse effect profile including incidence rates and management
Important Safety Information
This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience any unexpected symptoms. For serious or life-threatening side effects, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS Use of azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray has been associated with somnolence [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )].
The most common adverse reactions (≥2% incidence) are: bitter taste, headache, somnolence, dysesthesia, rhinitis, nasal burning, pharyngitis, epistaxis, sinusitis, paroxysmal sneezing, nausea, dry mouth, fatigue, dizziness, and weight increase.
( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Apotex CORP.
at 1-800-706-5575 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect rates observed in practice.
Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis Azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray Two Sprays Per Nostril Twice Daily Adverse experience information for azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray is derived from six placebo- and active- controlled, 2-day to 8-week clinical trials which included 391 patients, 12 years of age and older, with seasonal allergic rhinitis who received azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray at a dose of 2 sprays per nostril twice daily.
In placebo-controlled efficacy trials, the incidence of discontinuation due to adverse reactions in patients receiving azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray and vehicle placebo was 2.2% and 2.8%, respectively.
Table 1 contains adverse reactions that were reported with frequencies ≥2% in the azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray 2 sprays per nostril twice daily treatment group and more frequently than placebo.
Table 1: Adverse Reactions Reported in ≥2% Incidence in Placebo-Controlled Trials in Patients with Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis [n (%)] Azelastine hydrochloride Nasal Spray N = 391 Vehicle Placebo N = 353 Bitter Taste 77 (19.7%) 2 (0.6%) Headache 58 (14.8%) 45 (12.7%) Somnolence 45 (11.5%) 19 (5.4%) Nasal Burning 16 (4.1%) 6 (1.7%) Pharyngitis 15 (3.8%) 10 (2.8%) Paroxysmal Sneezing 12 (3.1%) 4 (1.1%) Dry Mouth 11 (2.8%) 6 (1.7%) Nausea 11 (2.8%) 4 (1.1%) Rhinitis 9 (2.3%) 5 (1.4%) Fatigue 9 (2.3%) 5 (1.4%) Dizziness 8 (2.0%) 5 (1.4%) Epistaxis 8 (2.0%) 5 (1.4%) Weight Increase 8 (2.0%) 0 (0.0%) Azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray One Spray Per Nostril Twice Daily Adverse experience information for azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray at a dose of one spray per nostril twice daily is derived from two placebo-controlled 2-week clinical studies which included 276 patients 12 years of age and older with seasonal allergic rhinitis.
The incidence of discontinuation due to adverse reactions in patients receiving azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray and vehicle placebo was 0.0% and 0.8%, respectively.
Bitter taste was reported in 8.3% of patients compared to none in the placebo group.
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Somnolence: Avoid engaging in hazardous occupations requiring complete mental alertness such as driving or operating machinery when taking azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray.
( 5.1 ) Alcohol and other central nervous system (CNS) depressants: Avoid concurrent use with azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray because further decreased alertness and impairment of CNS performance may occur.
( 5.1 ) 5.1 Somnolence in Activities Requiring Mental Alertness In clinical trials, the occurrence of somnolence has been reported in some patients taking azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )] .
Patients should be cautioned against engaging in hazardous occupations requiring complete mental alertness and motor coordination such as operating machinery or driving a motor vehicle after administration of azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray.
Concurrent use of azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray with alcohol or other central nervous system depressants should be avoided because additional reductions in alertness and additional impairment of central nervous system performance may occur [see Drug Interactions ( 7.1 )] .
Like all medications, Azelastine Hydrochloride can cause side effects. However, not everyone who takes this medication will experience them. Many side effects are dose-dependent and may improve as your body adjusts to the medication. Others may require dose adjustment or medical attention.
Contact your healthcare provider promptly if you experience:
Seek immediate emergency medical care if you experience signs of: