Lofibra

Fenofibrate is a prescription medication used to lower cholesterol and triglycerides (a type of fat), and to increase "good" cholesterol in the blood. It may be used alone or with other cholesterol-lowering medications. Fenofibrate belongs to a group of drugs called fibrates which work by increasing the activity of an enzyme involved in removing triglycerides and cholesterols from the body.

This medication comes in capsule and tablet form and is taken once a day, with or without food.

Common side effects of fenofibrate include headaches, heartburn, nausea, and muscle aches.

Fenofibrate is a prescription medicine used to treat cholesterol in the blood by lowering the total amount of triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol, and increasing the HDL (good) cholesterol.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

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Fenofibrate may cause serious side effects, including:

• muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness. 
• tiredness and fever.
• abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting. These may be signs of inflammation (swelling) of the gallbladder or pancreas.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these serious side effects.

The most common side effects with fenofibrate include:

• headache
• heartburn (indigestion)
• nausea
• muscle aches
• increases in muscle or liver enzymes that are measured by blood tests

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of fenofibrate. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

Using fenofibrate with certain other medicines can affect the way these medicines work and other medicines may affect how fenofibrate works. In some cases, using fenofibrate with other medicines can cause serious side effects.

It is especially important to tell your healthcare provider if you take:

• heart medicine
• anticoagulants, also known as blood thinners such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)
• bile acid resins

Fenofibrate can be used with other cholesterol-lowering medicines called statins. Other medicines or large amounts of grapefruit juice (more than a quart) may raise the levels of statins in your body, and could then raise the risk of muscle problems. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• heart medicine
• stomach medicine
• antibiotic
• anti-fungal
• cholesterol-lowering medicine
• hormones
• HIV/AIDS medicine
• antidepressant
• immunosuppressant
• anti-seizure medicine

This is not a complete list of fenofibrate drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Do not take fenofibrate if you:

• are allergic to fenofibric acid, or any of the ingredients in fenofibrate. 
• have severe kidney disease.
• have liver disease.
• have gallbladder disease.
• are a nursing mother.

Talk to your healthcare provider before you take fenofibrate if you have any of these conditions.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of fenofibrate there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving fenofibrate.

Fenofibrate can be used with other cholesterol-lowering medicines called statins. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with statins and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit products with your doctor.

Before taking fenofibrate, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

• are allergic to any medicines.
• have ever had kidney problems.
• have ever had liver problems.
• have ever had gallbladder problems.
• are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant. It is not known if fenofibrate will harm your unborn baby.
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if fenofibrate passes into your breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take fenofibrate or breastfeed. You should not do both.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.

Using fenofibrate with certain other medicines can affect the way these medicines work and other medicines may affect how fenofibrate works. In some cases, using fenofibrate with other medicines can cause serious side effects.

It is especially important to tell your healthcare provider if you take:

• Heart medicine
• anticoagulants, also known as blood thinners (warfarin, Coumadin)
• bile acid resins

Fenofibrate can be used with other cholesterol-lowering medicines called statins. Other medicines or large amounts of grapefruit juice (more than a quart) may raise the levels of statins in your body, and could then raise the risk of muscle problems. Tell your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• Heart medicine
• Stomach medicine
• Antibiotic
• Anti-fungal
• Cholesterol-lowering medicine
• Hormones
• HIV/AIDS medicine
• Antidepressant
• Immunosuppressant
• Anti-seizure medicine

Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if fenofibrate will harm your unborn baby.

Tell your healthcare provider if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if fenofibrate passes into your breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take fenofibrate or breastfeed. You should not do both.

• You should be on a low fat and low cholesterol diet while you take fenofibrate.
• Take fenofibrate one time each day as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
• Take fenofibrate with or without food.
• Swallow fenofibrate capsules whole. Do not break, crush, dissolve, or chew fenofibrate capsules before swallowing. If you cannot swallow the capsules whole, tell your healthcare provider, you may need a different medicine.
• If you take a medicine called a statin, you can take fenofibrate and your statin at the same time of day.
• If you miss a dose of fenofibrate, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, just skip the missed dose. Take the next dose at your regular time. If you are not sure about your dosing, call your healthcare provider. Do not take more than one dose of fenofibrate a day unless your healthcare provider tells you to.
• If you take too much fenofibrate, contact your healthcare provider or your local emergency department.
• Do not change your dose or stop fenofibrate unless your healthcare provider tells you to.
• Your healthcare provider may do blood tests before you start taking fenofibrate and during treatment. See your healthcare provider regularly to check your cholesterol and triglyceride levels and to check for side effects.

Take fenofibrate exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully. Your doctor will determine the best dose for you. The dosage of fenofibrate must be individualized depending on other medicines you currently take, how you respond to fenofibrate therapy, and other medical conditions, such as renal function, you may have.

The recommended dose range of fenofibrate for the treatment of high cholesterol is 120 mg-160 mg. 

The recommended dose range of fenofibrate for the treatment of high triglycerides is 35 mg- 150 mg.

The recommended dose range of fenofibrate for the treatment of hyperlipidemia is 105-135 mg.

If you take too much fenofibrate call your local Poison Control Center or seek emergency medical treatment right away.

• Store fenofibrate between 59° to 86° F (15° to 30° C).
• Protect fenofibrate from moisture.