Patient/caregiver was educated on the side-effects of using Zanaflex as follows:
Gastrointestinal side-effects
- This medication can induce some nausea, vomiting, and stomach upset with self-limiting diarrhea, especially when taken on empty stomach. Taking the medication with a glass of water and some food or snack can help avoid these unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms. Observe compliance with fluid, electrolyte, and nutrition intake, as recommended. If stomach upset, vomiting, and diarrhea are uncontrolled, report to your physician immediately for further recommendations.
- Zanaflex can also induce extreme dry mouth and constipation. Sucking on a sugar free hard candy can help with symptomatic relief of dry mouth. Proper hydration measures and compliance with daily fluid intake recommendations can help with relief from constipation. If you experience any further bothersome constipation, report it to your physician for a recommendation on laxative/stool softener use. Observing compliance with fiber intake recommendations in the diet can also help with preventing episodes of constipation with the medication.
- Zanaflex can rarely induce hepatic dysfunction and liver toxicity, leading to fatal liver failure. Individuals can present with symptoms of liver failure and jaundice, such as, yellowing of skin and eyes, dark yellow colored urine, itching of skin, upper right abdominal pain, abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, confusion and disorientation, fluid retention in the body with swelling & acute weight gain, and compromised appetite.
- Also, liver is the site of synthesis for blood clotting factors. In liver dysfunction, synthesis of clotting factors can be impaired leading to episodes of bleeding from the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts and bleeding episodes in the skin. Individuals with liver dysfunction can present with severe hemorrhages into the skin even from minor bruising, red tinged urine, fresh blood in the stool, or black tarry stool from partially digested blood in the intestines. Report any of these bleeding episodes to your physician immediately for appropriate measures to be considered.
Cardiovascular side-effects
- Zanaflex, especially when taken in high doses, carries the risk of depressing the cardiovascular center in the brain, which regulates the heart rate and blood pressure. Consequently, intake of zanaflex can result in low heart rate and blood pressure.
- This risk with zanaflex can be even high when it is taken along with any other products and medications causing hypotension and bradycardia, such as, antihypertensives, antidepressants, antianxiety medications, and sedatives.
- Hypotension and bradycardia, secondary to zanaflex intake, can contribute to the confusion and dizziness, thus significantly increasing the risk for fall and accidents.
