Lopid contains the active substance gemfibrozil which belongs to a group of medicines commonly known as fibrates. These medicines are used to lower the level of fats (triglycerides) in the blood. Lopid is used, alongside a low fat diet and other non-medical treatment such as exercise and weight loss, to lower levels of fat in the blood. Lopid can be used when other medicines (statins) are unsuitable, to reduce the occurrence of heart problems in men who are at high risk and who have increased ‘bad cholesterol’. Lopid may also be prescribed to people who cannot be prescribed other lipid-lowering medicines for lowering blood cholesterol levels. Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Your blood lipid levels will be closely monitored and regularly assessed before and during your treatment with Lopid. Lopid should be taken orally. It is recommended that the capsules or tablets be swallowed with a glass of water as the tablets taste unpleasant if you break them. Lopid should be taken half an hour before meals. Lopid should not be used in patients with severe kidney disease. Lopid is not recommended for children.

Manufacturer Information

Canadian Pharmacy King currently offers the brand Lopid from Turkey by Pfizer in the strength of 600 mg tablets. The generic Gemfibrozil comes from Canada by a different manufacturer in the strength of 300 mg, and 600 mg tablets.

The common side effects of Lopid may include indigestion, sense of spinning or swaying (vertigo), eczema, rash (particularly an itchy or puffy rash), headache, stomach pain, diarrhoea, feeling sick, constipation, wind, and tiredness. Contact your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Allergic reaction in which the face, tongue or throat may start to swell up, causing difficulty in breathing;
• Fever;
• Muscle weakness or weakness accompanied by dark urine;
• Nausea or vomiting;
• Peeling and blistering of the skin, mouth, eyes and genitals;
• Rash affecting your whole body;
• Rapid heart rate (palpitations)

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Please call your doctor if you have any further concerns or questions.

Do not take Lopid if you: are allergic to gemfibrozil or any of the other ingredients of this medicine, have liver disease, have severe kidney disease, have a history of gall stones, bile and gall bladder disease, if in the past you have had photoallergy or a phototoxicity reaction (allergic reaction triggered by exposure to sunlight) during treatment with fibrates, are currently taking a medicine called repaglinide (a drug used to reduce blood sugar levels in diabetes) or simvastatin (a cholesterol lowering medicine) or dasabuvir (a drug used to treat hepatitis C infection) or selexipag (a drug used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension). Tell your doctor if you have any of the following conditions: high risk of muscle breakdown, mild or moderate kidney disease, under-active thyroid, diabetes, are pregnant or breast feeding. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines including: anti-diabetic medication, dasabuvir used to treat hepatitis C infection, selexipag for pulmonary hypertension, statins used to lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides, dabrafenib for melanoma, loperamide for diarrhea, montelukast for asthma, pioglitazone for diabetes, warfarin, (anticoagulants used to thin blood), colestipol resin granules for the treatment of high levels of fat in your blood, bexarotene for the treatment of skin cancer, colchicine for the treatment of gout, paclitaxel, a treatment for cancer, enzalutamide, a treatment for prostate cancer. It is recommended that you do not take Lopid while you breast-feed. Driving and using machines In rare cases, Lopid may cause dizziness and affect your eyesight, if this happens, do not drive or operate machinery.

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