Patient leaflet - Cositam XL 400 micrograms prolonged-release tablets
1. What Cositam XL is and what it is used for
Tamsulosin relaxes the muscles in the prostate and urinary tract. By relaxing the muscle tamsulosin enables a more easily pass of urine and helps urination. In addition, it diminishes sensations of urge.
Tamsulosin is prescribed in men to alleviate urinary symptoms caused by an enlarged prostrate (benign prostatic hyperplasia). These symptoms may include difficulty urinating (poor stream), dribbling, urgency and having to urinate frequently at night as well as during the day.
2. What you need to know before you take Cositam XL
Do not take Cositam XL if you:
are allergic to tamsulosin or any of the other
ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6). Hypersensitivity may present a sudden local swelling of the soft tissues of the body (e.g. the throat or tongue), difficult breathing and/or itching and rash (angioedema).
have a history of a fall in blood pressure on standing
up, which causes dizziness, light-headedness or fainting.
- have severe liver problems
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using Cositam XL
if you experience dizziness or light-headedness,
especially after standing up. Cositam XL may lower your blood pressure, causing these symptoms. You should sit or lay down until the symptoms have gone.
if you suffer from severe kidney problems, tell your
doctor.
if you are undergoing or have been scheduled for eye
surgery because of cloudiness of the lens (cataract) or increased pressure of the eye (glaucoma). An eye condition called Intraoperative Floppy Iris Syndrome may occur (see section 4, Possible side effects). Please inform your eye specialist that you have previously used, are using, or are planning to use tamsulosin hydrochloride. The specialist can then take appropriate precautions with respect to medication and surgical techniques to be used. Ask your doctor whether or not
you should postpone or temporarily stop taking this medicine when undergoing eye surgery because of a cloudy lens (cataract) or increased pressure of the eye (glaucoma).
Periodic medical examinations are necessary to monitor the development of the condition you are being treated for.
You may observe a remnant of the tablet in your faeces. Since the active ingredient of the tablet has been released already, there is no risk of the tablet being less effective.
Children and adolescents
Do not give this medicine to children or adolescents under 18 years because it does not work in this population.
Other medicines and Cositam XL
Other medicines may be affected by Cositam XL. They, in turn, may affect how well Cositam XL works. Cositam XL can interact with:
- diclofenac, a pain killer and anti-inflammatory medicine. This medicine can speed up the removal of tamsulosin from your body, thereby shortening the time tamsulosin is effective.
- warfarin, a medicine to prevent blood clotting. This medicine can speed up the removal of tamsulosin from your body, thereby shortening the time tamsulosin is effective.
another α1A-adrenoreceptor blocker. The
combination may lower your blood pressure, causing dizziness or light-headedness.
- ketoconazole, a medicine to treat fungal skin infections. This medicine may increase the effect of tamsulosin.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription.
Cositam XL with food, drink and alcohol
Cositam XL can be taken independently of food.
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
Cositam XL is not indicated for use in women.
In men, abnormal ejaculation has been reported (ejaculation disorder). This means that the semen does not leave the body via the urethra, but instead goes into the bladder (retrograde ejaculation) or the ejaculation volume is reduced or absent (ejaculation failure). This phenomenon is harmless.
Driving and using machines
There is no evidence that Cositam XL affects the ability to drive and use machines. You should take into account that tamsulosin may cause dizziness and light-headedness. Only drive or use machines if you feel alright.
PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER
Cositam XL 400 microgram prolonged-release tablets
tamsulosin hydrochloride
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
- If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
3. How to take Cositam XL
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
The usual dose is one tablet per day. You can take Cositam XL with or without food, preferably at the same time of each day.
Swallow the tablet whole. It is important that you do not crunch or chew the tablet as this may influence how well Cositam XL works.
Cositam XL is not intended for use in children.
If you take more Cositam XL than you should
Your blood pressure may suddenly drop if you take more Cositam XL than you should. You may experience dizziness, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and fainting. Lie down to minimise the effects of low blood pressure and then contact your doctor.
If you forget to take Cositam XL
You may take your daily Cositam XL tablet later the same day if you have forgotten to take it as recommended. If you have missed a day, just take the next dose at the usual time. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you stop taking Cositam XL
When treatment with Cositam XL is stopped prematurely, your original complaints may return. Therefore use Cositam XL as long as your doctor prescribes, even if your complaints have disappeared already. Always consult your doctor, if you consider stopping this therapy.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Serious reactions are rare. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience a serious allergic reaction which causes swelling of the face or throat (angio-oedoema).
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people) Dizziness • Abnormal ejaculation (ejaculation disorder). This means that semen does not leave the body via the urethra, but instead goes into the bladder (retrograde ejaculation) or the ejaculation volume is reduced or absent (ejaculation failure). This phenomenon is harmless.
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people) Headache • Feeling your heart beat (palpitations) • a fall in blood pressure on standing up, which causes dizziness, light-headedness or fainting (orthostatic hypotension)
- Swelling and irritation inside the nose (rhinitis) • Constipation • Diarrhoea • Feeling sick (nausea) • Vomiting
- Rash • Itching • Hives (urticaria) • Feeling of weakness (asthenia)
Rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people) Fainting (syncope)
Very rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people) Painful erection (priapism) • Serious illness with blistering of the skin, mouth, eyes and genitals (Stevens-Johnson syndrome)
Not known side effects (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
Blurred vision • Vision loss • Nose bleed • Dry mouth • Serious skin rashes (erythema multiform, dermatitis exfoliative) • Abnormal heart rhythm • Irregular heart beat • Faster heart beat • Difficulty breathing
During eye surgery because of cloudiness of the lens (cataract) or increased pressure in the eye (glaucoma) a condition called Floppy Iris Syndrome (IFIS) may occcur: the pupil may dilate poorly and the iris (the coloured circular part of the eye) may become floppy during surgery. For more information see section 2, Warnings and precautions.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, please tell your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.
You can also report side effects directly via Yellow Card Scheme, Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Cositam XL
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the packaging after ‘EXP’. The first two digits indicate the month and the last four digits indicate the year. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Store the blisters in the original package to protect from light.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What Cositam XL contains
- The active substance is 400 microgram of tamsulosin hydrochloride, equivalent to 367 microgram tamsulosin.
The other ingredients are:
Inner tablet: cellulose microcrystalline, hypromellose, carbomer, silica colloidal andhydrous, iron oxide red (E172), magnesium stearate
Outer tablet: cellulose microcrystalline, hypromellose, carbomer, silica colloidal anydrous, magnesium stearate
What Cositam XL looks like and contents of the pack
White, round tablets with the inscription “T9SL” on one side and “0.4” on the other side.
They are supplied in blister packs with 10, 18, 20, 28, 30, 50, 60, 90, 98 and 100 tablets.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorisation Holder:
Firstline Pharma Ltd..,
Ravalco House, Cleveland Way, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 7DL, UK.
Manufacturer(s):
Synthon Hispania S.L.
Castelló 1, Polígono Las Salinas, 08830 Sant Boi de Llobregat, Spain.
Synthon BV,
Microweg 22, 6545 CM Nijmegen, The Netherlands
This leaflet was last revised in 09/2023
IPS FIR 002