Viokace

Uses of Viokace

Viokace is a prescription medicine used with a proton pump inhibitor medicine (PPI) to treat adults who cannot digest food normally. Adults with swelling of the pancreas that lasts a long time (chronic pancreatitis), or who have had some or all of their pancreas removed (pancreatectomy) may not digest food normally because they do not make enough enzymes or because their enzymes are not released into the bowel (intestine).

Viokace contains a mixture of digestive enzymes (including lipases, proteases, and amylases) from pig pancreas.

It is not known if Viokace is safe and effective in children. Use of Viokace in children may result in poor nutrition and slowing of growth

Precautions and Warnings

Before taking this digestive enzyme, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to pork protein; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: sudden/severe swelling of the pancreas (acute pancreatitis), sudden worsening of long-term disease of the pancreas.

Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).

During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.

It is unknown if this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Dosage

Take Viokace tablets exactly as your doctor tells you.

Enzyme dosing should begin with 500 lipase units/kg of body weight per meal to a maximum of 2,500 lipase units/kg of body weight per meal (or less than or equal to 10,000 lipase units/kg of body weight per day), or less than 4,000 lipase units/g fat ingested per day.

Side Effects

Common side effects:

• you can develop stones that form in your gallbladder and the tubes that carry bile to your small intestines.
• anal itching