Selexipag

Selexipag is a prescription medication used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) which is high blood pressure in the arteries that connect the heart to the lungs. 

It belongs to a group of drugs called IP prostacyclin receptor agonists. These work to relax the muscles in the walls of blood vessels, and therefore, open the blood vessels and decrease the elevated pressure in the vessels supplying blood to the lungs.

This medication is available in tablet form. 

Common side effects of selexipag include headache, diarrhea, and jaw pain. 

Selexipag is a prescription medication used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) which is high blood pressure in the arteries that connect the heart to the lungs. 

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Selexipag may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Uptravi

Serious side effects have been reported with selexipag.  See "Selexipag Precautions" section.

Common side effects include:

• headache
• diarrhea
• jaw pain
• nausea
• muscle pain (myalgia)
• vomiting
• pain in an extremity (arms or legs)
• joint pain
• low red blood cell
• decreased appetite
• flushing
• rash

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

These are not all the possible side effects of selexipag. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

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

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take medications that block the enzyme CYP2C8 such as gemfibrozil (Lopid), fluvoxamine (Luvox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), trimethoprim (Bactrim, Septra)

This is not a complete list of selexipag drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with selexipag including the following:

Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease (PVOD). Selexipag can cause a condition where you have abnormal fluid buildup in your lungs. If this condition develops, you may need to discontinue selexipag. Tell your doctor if you have any of the following signs or symptoms:

• coughing up blood
• you have a hard time breathing when lying flat
• gurgling or wheezing sounds when breathing
• shortness of breath
• fainting

Do not take selexipag if you are allergic to selexipag or to any of its ingredients.

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of selexipag, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking selexipag, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to selexipag or to any of its ingredients
• have liver problems
• have any other medical conditions 
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed
• have a condition called pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (narrowing of the pulmonary veins in your lungs)

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

There have been no well-done studies that have been done in humans with selexipag. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given selexipag, and the babies did not show any medical issues related to this medication. It is not known if selexipag will harm your unborn baby. You and your doctor should discuss the risks and benefits of taking selexipag while pregnant.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if selexipag crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, it is recommended to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Discuss the risks and benefits of each option with your doctor.

Take selexipag exactly as prescribed. 

Do not stop taking selexipag unless your healthcare provider tells you to stop. 

Your healthcare provider will slowly increase your dose to find the dose of selexipag that is right for you. 

If you have side effects, your healthcare provider may change your dose. 

Selexipag comes in tablet form and is typically taken twice daily.

Selexipag can be taken with or without food. This medication may be tolerated better if it is taken with food.

Do not split, crush, or chew selexipag tablets. Swallow whole.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember.

• If your next scheduled dose is due within 6 hours, skip the missed dose. Take the next dose at your regular time.  Do not take two doses of selexipag at the same time.
• If you miss 3 or more days of selexipag, call your healthcare provider to see if your dose needs to be changed. Your medication may need to be restarted at a lower dose determined by your doctor.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on how you respond to this medication and other medical conditions you may have, including problems with your liver.

The recommended starting dose of Uptravi (selexipag) is 200 mcg twice daily. This dose may be increased by your doctor, usually once a week, to a dose up to the maximum of 1600 mcg twice daily. If you do not tolerate a higher dose due to side effects, your doctor may reduce your dose.

If you take too much selexipag, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

If selexipag is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Store selexipag tablets at room temperature.
• Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.