Bempedoic Acid : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions & More

Why is this medication prescribed?
Bempedoic acid is used in conjunction with lifestyle changes (diet, weight loss, exercise) and certain cholesterol-lowering medications (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors [statins]) to further lower lipoprotein cholesterol low-density (LDL) (“bad cholesterol”) in the blood of adults with familial heterozygous hypercholesterolemia (HeFH; an inherited condition in which cholesterol cannot be cleared from the body normally) or heart disease. Bempedoic acid belongs to a class of medications called adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase (ACL) inhibitors. It works by blocking the production of cholesterol in the liver.

How should this medicine be used?
Bempedoic acid comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken once a day with or without food. Take bempedoic acid at around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take bempedoic acid exactly as directed. Do not take more or less or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Ask your pharmacist or doctor for a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient.

Other uses for this medicine
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

What special precautions should I follow?

Before taking bempedoic acid,

  • Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to bempedoic acid, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in bempedoic acid tablets. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
  • Tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: fluoroquinolone antibiotics including ciprofloxacin (Cipro), gatifloxacin (Zymar, Zymaxid), levofloxacin (Levaquin), or ofloxacin; pravastatin (Pravachol); simvastatin (Flolipid, in Vytorin); or oral or injectable steroids such as dexamethasone, methylprednisolone (Medrol), or prednisone (Rayos). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you closely for side effects.
  • Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had gout, tendon problems (a fibrous tissue that connects a bone to a muscle), or kidney or liver disease.
  • Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking bempedoic acid, call your doctor.

What special dietary instructions should I follow?
Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

What should I do if I forget a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

What side effects can this medication cause?

Bempedoic acid may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

  • muscle spasms
  • back pain
  • pain in hands or feet

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop taking bempedoic acid and call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:

  • severe pain, redness, warmth, tenderness, or swelling of the joints, especially in the big toe area
  • hearing or feeling a snap or pop in a tendon area; bruising after an injury to a tendon area; or inability to move to or bear weight on affected tendon area

Bempedoic acid can cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medicine.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor can submit an online report to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?
Keep this medicine in its container, tightly closed and out of the reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Do not remove the desiccant (small package included with the tablets to absorb moisture) from your bottle.

It is important to keep all medicines out of the sight and reach of children, as many containers (such as those for weekly pills and those for eye drops, creams, patches and inhalers) are not resistant to children and young children can easily open them. To protect young children from poisoning, always close the safety caps and immediately put the medicine in a safe place, one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. http://www.upandaway.org

Unnecessary medications must be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and others cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medicine down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medication take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local recycling / trash department to find out about return programs in your community. Check out the FDA drug safe disposal website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

In case of emergency/overdose
In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim collapsed, had a seizure, is having trouble breathing, or is unable to wake up, immediately call 911 for emergency services.

What other information should I know?
Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain laboratory tests to check your body’s response to bempedoic acid.

Do not let anyone else take your medicine. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important to keep a written list of all prescription and over-the-counter (non-prescription) medications you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should take this list with you every time you visit a doctor or if you go into hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in emergencies.

Brand names

  • Nexletol®

Brand names of combination products

  • Nexlizet® (containing Bempedoic Acid, Ezetimibe)

Disclaimer: DrLinex has made every effort to ensure that all information is factually accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a licensed health care professional’s choice of knowledge and expertise. You should always consult your doctor or other health care professional before taking any medication. The information given here is subject to change and it has not been used to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions or adverse effects. The lack of warning or other information for any drug does not indicate that the combination of medicine or medication is safe, effective or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

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