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Asacol HD (Oral)

Generic name: mesalamineme-SAL-a-meen ]
Brand names: Apriso, Asacol HD, Delzicol, Lialda, Pentasa
Drug class: 5-aminosalicylates

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Oct 8, 2023.

Uses for Asacol HD

Mesalamine is used to treat and prevent flare-ups of mild to moderately active ulcerative colitis (an inflammatory bowel disease). It works inside the bowels to reduce inflammation and other symptoms of the disease.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before using Asacol HD

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of Asacol® and Delzicol® for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in children 5 years of age and older. Safety and efficacy have not been established in children younger than 5 years of age and for the prevention of ulcerative colitis in children.

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of Lialda® for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in children 5 years of age and older weighing 24 kilograms (kg) or more. Safety and efficacy have not been established in children younger than 5 years of age, weighing less than 24 kg, or for the prevention of ulcerative colitis in children.

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of Apriso®, Asacol® HD, or Pentasa® in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of mesalamine in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have blood problems (eg, agranulocytosis, neutropenia, pancytopenia) and age-related kidney, liver, or heart disease, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving mesalamine.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Proper use of Asacol HD

Take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. Do not stop using this medicine without checking first with your doctor.

Keep using this medicine for the full time of treatment, even if you begin to feel better after a few days. Do not miss any doses.

Swallow the capsule or tablet whole. Do not open, break, crush, or chew it.

If you are taking the Asacol® delayed-release tablet:

Take the Asacol® HD tablet on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.

You should take the Lialda® tablets with food. All other brands of capsules and tablets can be taken with or without food.

If you have trouble swallowing the Delzicol® capsule, carefully open the capsule and take out the 4 tablets. Swallow the tablets whole and make sure all 4 are taken at the same time as one dose. Do not cut, break, crush, or chew them.

The contents of the Pentasa® capsule may be sprinkled onto soft foods (eg, applesauce or yogurt) if you have trouble swallowing the capsule. The mixture must be swallowed right away without chewing.

If you are taking the delayed-release capsule, extended-release capsule, or delayed-release tablet, part of the capsule or tablet may pass into your stool after your body has absorbed the medicine. Contact your doctor if this happens more often than 1 or 2 times.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

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, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Store the delayed-release capsules and delayed-release tablets in a tightly-closed container to protect them from moisture.

Precautions while using Asacol HD

It is important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to take it. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Asacol® delayed-release tablet and Pentasa® extended-release capsule may cause serious kidney problems, including kidney stones. Check with your doctor right away if you have lower back or side pain, decreased frequency or amount of urine, bloody urine, increased thirst, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, unusual tiredness or weakness, swelling of the face, fingers, or lower legs, weight gain, or trouble breathing.

Check with your doctor right away if you have stomach pain, bloody diarrhea, cramps, fever, headache, or a rash while you are using this medicine. These may be symptoms of a condition called mesalamine-induced acute intolerance syndrome.

Call your doctor right away if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, a fast heartbeat, itching, rash, or skin redness, or swelling of the face, throat, or tongue. These may be symptoms of an allergic reaction to this medicine.

This medicine may cause serious skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP). Check with your doctor right away if you have black, tarry stools, blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, chest pain, chills, cough, diarrhea, itching, joint or muscle pain, painful or difficult urination, red irritated eyes, red skin lesions, often with a purple center, sore throat, sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips, swollen glands, trouble breathing, unusual bleeding or bruising, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

Check with your doctor right away if you have pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, or yellow eyes or skin. These could be symptoms of a serious liver problem.

This medicine may make you more sensitive to light and cause serious unwanted skin reaction. This is more likely if you have an existing skin problem (eg, atopic dermatitis, atopic eczema). Check with your doctor right away if you have increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight, itching, redness or other discoloration of the skin, severe sunburn, or skin rash. Use a sunscreen when you are outdoors. Avoid sunlamps and tanning beds.

Do not take antacids (eg, Amphojel®, Maalox®, Mylanta®, Tums®) while you are using the Apriso® capsules. Using these medicines together may change the amount of medicine that is released in the body.

Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using mesalamine. This medicine may affect the results of certain medical tests.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects of Asacol HD

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

Less common

Rare

Incidence not known

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Less common

Incidence not known

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Commonly used brand name(s)

In the U.S.

In Canada

Available Dosage Forms:

Therapeutic Class: Anti-Inflammatory

Chemical Class: Salicylate, Non-Aspirin

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.