Picoprep Special Precautions

Because a clinically relevant benefit of bowel cleansing prior to elective, open colorectal surgery could not be proven, bowel cleansers should only be administered before bowel surgery if clearly needed. The risks of the treatment should be carefully weighed against possible benefits and needs depending on surgical procedures performed.
Care should also be taken in patients with recent gastro-intestinal surgery, renal impairment, heart disease or inflammatory bowel disease.
Use with caution in patients on drugs that might affect water and/or electrolyte balance e.g. diuretics, corticosteroids, lithium (see Interactions).
Advise patients to hydrate adequately before, during, and after the use of PICOPREP. An insufficient or excessive oral intake of water and electrolytes could create clinically significant, deficiencies, particularly in less fit patients. In this regard, children, the elderly, debilitated individuals and patients at risk of hypokalaemia or hyponatremia may need particular attention. Prompt corrective action should be taken to restore fluid/electrolyte balance in patients with signs or symptoms of hypokalaemia or hyponatremia.
Drinking only water to replace the fluid losses may lead to electrolyte imbalance.
PICOPREP may modify the absorption of regularly prescribed oral medication and should be used with caution e.g. there have been isolated reports of seizures in patients on antiepileptics, with previously controlled epilepsy (see Interactions and Adverse Reactions).
Use caution when prescribing PICOPREP for patients with a history of seizures and in patients at risk of seizure, such as patients taking medications that lower the seizure threshold (e.g., tricyclic antidepressants), patients withdrawing from alcohol or benzodiazepines, patients with known or suspected hyponatremia.
There have been rare reports of serious arrhythmias associated with the use of ionic osmotic laxative products for bowel preparation. Use caution when prescribing PICOPREP for patients at increased risk of arrhythmias (e.g., patients with a history of prolonged QT, uncontrolled arrhythmias, recent myocardial infarction, unstable angina, congestive heart failure, or cardiomyopathy).
Osmotic laxatives may produce colonic mucosal aphthous ulcerations and there have been reports of more serious cases of ischemic colitis requiring hospitalization. Concurrent use of additional stimulant laxatives with PICOPREP may increase this risk. The potential for mucosal ulcerations should be considered when interpreting colonoscopy findings in patients with known or suspected inflammatory bowel disease.
Patients with impaired gag reflex and patients prone to regurgitation or aspiration should exercise caution during the administration of PICOPREP.
The period of bowel cleansing should not exceed 24 hours because longer preparation may increase the risk of water and electrolyte imbalance.
This medicine contains 5 mmol (or 195 mg) potassium per sachet. This should be taken into consideration by patients with reduced kidney function or patients on a controlled potassium diet.
This medicine contains lactose as a component of the flavour. Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take this medicine.
PICOPREP should not be used as a routine laxative.
Effects on Ability to Drive and Use Machines: Not applicable.