Age related mental capacity decline
 

Nausea,vomiting,headache,blurring vision,skin rashes,nasal  stuffiness, flushing, dizziness,

Bradycardia and orthostatic hypotension.

Sublingual administration: local irritation.
 

In individuals hypersens to the drug,chronic psychoses.

Special precautions:
Patients susceptible to acute intermittent porphyria attacks.Pregnancy.

Avoid prolonged administrartion - or excessive dosage because of the danger of ergotism and gangrene.

Drug abuse and dependence- patients who take ergotamine for extended periods of time become dependent upon it and require increasing doses for relief of vascular headache and for prevention of dysphoric effects which follow withdrawal
.

Warnings-
Pregnancy- although no specific teratogenic effects have been found the fetus suffers if ergotamine  is given to the mother.

Lactation- excercise caution when administering to a nursing woman.  

Children- safety and  efficacy for use in children have not been established

Indications:
Age related mental capacity decline

Dosage:
1mg 3 times a day. Doses upto  4.5 to 12mg/day have been given . A period of atleast  6
mths may be necessary to detremine effixcacy and dose response..

Overdosage-

                                 Symptoms                                                                

Nausea, vomiting, weakness of the leg, pain in limb muscles,numbness and tingling of fingers and  toes, precordial pain, tachycardia or bradycardia, hypertension or hypotension, and localized  edema and itching with signs and symptoms of ischemia due to vasoconstriction or peripheral  arteries or arterioles.            
The feet and hand become cold pale and numb. Muscle pain occurs while walking orat rest too.                 
Gangrene may ensue.Confusion, depression, drowsiness and convulsions are occassional signs  of ergotamine toxicity.
Overdosageis particularly likely to occur in patients with sepsis or impaired renal or hepatic
function.
Patients with peripheral vascular disease are specially at risk of developing peripheral ischema  following treatment with ergotamine.


                                     Treatment

1. Treatment consists of withdrawal of the drug followed by symptomatic measures                  including attempts     to maintain an adequate circulation inthe affected parts.

 2. Anticoagulant drugs, low molecular weight dextran and  potent  vasodilator drugs may all     be beneficial.   
3. IV infusion of sodium nitroprusside has been successful.
4. Vasodilators must be used with special care in presence of hypertension.
 5. Ergotamine is dialyzable,.

Missed dose-

1. If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible.
2. However, if it is almost time for next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing   schedule.
3. Do not double doses.  

 

1.May cause transient nausea and GI disturbances
2.Allow sublingual tablets to completely dissolve under tongue,.

3. Allergies- Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reactions to ergot alkaloids    or related medicines. Also tell your doctor  if your are allergic to any other substances such as foods,    preservatives or dyes.

4. Other medical problems- tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following-
    
     Liver disease - higher blood levels of ergoloid mesylate may occur,increasing the chance of side  effects.
     Low blood pressure or
     Other mental problems or
     Slow heart beat - ergoloid mesylates may make the condition worse

13. Missed dose-
    If you miss a dose of this medicine take it as soon as possible. However if it is almost time for your     next dose go back to your regular dosing schedule.
    Do not double doses.

12. Storage -
     Keep out of reach of children. Store away from heat or direct sunlight. Do not store
      the capsule in bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places.

13. Outdated medicines -
   Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any
     discarded medicine is out of reach of children.


 

 

Pharmacology:
The mechanism  by which ergoloid mesylates produce mental effects is unknown. There is no
conclusive evidence they directly affect cerebral arterioscelerosis or cerebral vascular
insufficiency. It seem to act by primarily to increase brain metabolism,possibly increasing
cerebral blood flow. It does not possess the vasoconstrictor properties of the natural ergot
alkaloids

Pharmacokinetics:
Rapidly absorbed from the GI tract; peak plasma concentrations are acheived within 0.6 to 3
hours. The drug undergoes rapid first pass mechanism in liver.

Reports not available.

Pregnancy-
Although no specific teratogenic effects have been found the fetus suffers if ergotamine is given to the
mother.

Lactation-
Excercise caution when administering to a nursing woman.  

Children-
Safety and  efficacy for use in children have not been established