Uses
CASSIPA sublingual film is a prescription medicine used for maintenance treatment in adults who are addicted to (dependent on) opioid drugs (either prescription or illegal) as part of a complete treatment program that also includes counseling and behavioral therapy.
• CASSIPA sublingual film is a controlled substance (CIII) because it contains buprenorphine, which can be a target for people who abuse prescription medicines or street drugs. Keep your CASSIPA sublingual film in a safe place to protect it from theft. Never give your sublingual film to anyone else; it can cause death or harm them.
Selling or giving away this medicine is against the law.
• It is not known if it is safe or effective in children.
Side Effects Of Cassipa
CASSIPA sublingual film may not be right for you. Before taking CASSIPA sublingual film, tell your doctor if you:
- Have liver or kidney problems
- Have trouble breathing or lung problems
- Have an enlarged prostate gland (men)
- Have a head injury or brain problem
- Have problems urinating
- Have a curve in your spine that affects your breathing
- Have gallbladder problems
- Have adrenal gland problems
- Have Addison’s disease
- Have low thyroid (hypothyroidism)
- Have a history of alcoholism
- Have mental problems such as hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there)
- Have any other medical condition
- Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you take CASSIPA sublingual film while pregnant, your baby may have signs of opioid withdrawal at birth. Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) is an expected and treatable outcome of prolonged use of opioids during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
- Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Buprenorphine, can pass into your milk and may harm your baby.
Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take CASSIPA sublingual film. Monitor your baby for increased sleepiness and breathing problems. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over‐the‐counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. CASSIPA sublingual film may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how CASSIPA sublingual film works. Some medicines may cause serious or life‐threatening medical problems when taken with CASSIPA sublingual film. Sometimes the doses of certain medicines may need to be changed if used together with CASSIPA sublingual film. Do not take any medicine while using CASSIPA sublingual film until you have talked with your doctor. Your doctor will tell you if it is safe to take other medicines while you are taking CASSIPA sublingual film.
Be especially careful about taking other medicines that may make you sleepy, such as pain medicines, tranquilizers, antidepressant medicines, sleeping pills, anxiety medicines, or antihistamines.
Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them to show your doctor or pharmacist each time you get a new medicine.
Warnings & Precautions
Do not drive, operate heavy machinery, or perform any other dangerous activities until you know how this medication affects you. Buprenorphine can cause drowsiness and slow reaction times. This may happen more often in the first few weeks of treatment when your dose is being changed but can also happen if you drink alcohol or take other sedative drugs when you take CASSIPA sublingual film.
• You should not drink alcohol while using CASSIPA sublingual film, as this can lead to loss of consciousness or even death.
Dosage Of Cassipa
Always take CASSIPA sublingual film exactly as your doctor tells you.
- Do not take the sublingual film more often than prescribed by your doctor.
- Take CASSIPA sublingual film 1 time a day.
- When taking a dose of CASSIPA sublingual film, it should only be placed under the tongue (sublingual administration).
- CASSIPA sublingual film must be taken whole. Do not cut, chew, or swallow CASSIPA sublingual film.
- Your doctor should show you how to take CASSIPA sublingual film the right way.
- Each CASSIPA sublingual film comes in a sealed child‐resistant foil pouch. Do not open the foil pouch until you are ready to use it.
Other
Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Medication Guide. Do not take CASSIPA sublingual film for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give CASSIPA sublingual film to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them and it is against the law. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for information that is written for health professionals.
Source
All information has been provided courtesy of MedLinePlus from the National Library of Medicine and from the FDA.
