Pancrease MT 4 Side Effects

Generic Name: pancrelipase

Please note - some side effects for Pancrease MT 4 may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA.

Side Effects by Body System - for Healthcare Professionals

General

In general, pancreatic enzymes are well tolerated at recommended therapeutic doses. Gastrointestinal symptoms appear to be the primary, and most common adverse effect.

Gastrointestinal

Fibrosing colonopathy should be suspected in patients who present with obstruction, bloody diarrhea, chylous ascites, or a combination of abdominal pain with chronic diarrhea, inadequate weight gain, or both. Patients with fibrosing colonopathy should have their enzyme dosage reduced to the recommended range of 500 to 2500 units/kg per meal. Surgical intervention is often needed in patients who cannot maintain their nutritional status.

Gastrointestinal side effects have included cramping, nausea, abnormal feces, flatulence abdominal pain, upper abdominal pain, and diarrhea, particularly with high doses. Fibrosing colonopathy has been reported. Animal studies suggest that the fibrosing colonopathy seen in some patients receiving high doses of pancreatic enzymes may be due to a plasticizer (methacrylic acid copolymer) found in some of the enteric coatings.

Metabolic

Krasinger and colleagues suggest that it may be reasonable to add allopurinol to the pancreatic enzyme treatment regimen in CF patients that have a urine pH of less than 6 and also excrete large amounts of uric acid. The addition of allopurinol may help to protect the renal tubules from long-term damage due to uric acid crystallization.

Metabolic side effects reported with high doses of pancreatic enzymes have included hyperuricosuria and hyperuricemia. It appears that both the enzyme product and some undefined aspect of the disease may lead to increased uric acid levels. Postmarketing reports of inadequate control of diabetes melitius have been reported.

Hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivity side effects have included reversible bronchial asthma and nasal rhinitis due to exposure to pancreatic enzyme powder.

Local

Local side effects have included ulcerations and stomatitis after a prolonged retention of pancreatic enzyme formulations in the mouth.

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects have included several case reports of elevation in intracranial pressure (leading to a bulging cranial fontanelle) in cystic fibrosis children receiving pancreatic enzymes. The adverse effect has been self-limiting without interruption of cystic fibrosis therapy in most cases.

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. In addition, the drug information contained herein may be time sensitive and should not be utilized as a reference resource beyond the date hereof. This information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients, or recommend therapy. This drug information is a reference resource designed as supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill , knowledge, and judgement of healthcare practitioners in patient care. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug of drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Drugs.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided. 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.