An individualized treatment plan

Although there is no cure for PAH, there are several treatments available. You can work closely with your healthcare team to develop a treatment plan that meets your needs. PAH is a progressive disease—meaning that it tends to get worse over time. That’s why an early diagnosis is so important. Your doctor cannot provide treatment to help slow down the rate at which your symptoms and physical condition becomes worse over time until after PAH has been confirmed.

Treatments for PAH

Several medications have been approved by the FDA to treat PAH. You can work with your doctor and healthcare team to determine which medication is appropriate for you.

Tracleer is one such approved PAH medication. It’s pronounced tra • KLEER and is available as a pill taken by mouth. Tracleer is a proven medication that works differently from many other treatments for PAH. It is a dual endothelin receptor antagonist.

Medications you may receive in addition to your PAH treatment

Many physicians prescribe medications for other conditions associated with PAH. They include:

Anticoagulants-to prevent blood clots in the lungs
Digoxin-to help the heart pump more effectively (however, this drug has no effect on constricted blood vessels)
Diuretics-to reduce fluid in the body and reduce swelling in the feet and legs
Inhaled oxygen-to make more oxygen available to the blood

However, be sure to ask your doctor and your pharmacist so you can be sure that Tracleer does not interact with your other medications.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Because of the risks associated with Tracleer, this medication may be prescribed only by your doctor through the Tracleer Access Program. Liver damage: Tracleer can cause serious liver damage, including in rare cases liver failure and, in situations with regular liver testing, unexplained liver cirrhosis. So you must have a blood test to check your liver function before you start Tracleer and each month after that. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms of liver problems: nausea, vomiting, fever, unusual tiredness, abdominal (stomach area) pain, or yellowing of the skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice). Serious birth defects: Tracleer is very likely to cause serious birth defects. It is important not to be or to become pregnant while taking Tracleer and to have a pregnancy test before you start the drug and each month thereafter. It is very important for you to use reliable forms of birth control while taking Tracleer. Hormonal contraceptives should not be used alone because they may not be effective in patients taking Tracleer.
Do not take Tracleer with glyburide or cyclosporine-A because they may increase your chance of side effects.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including BOXED WARNING and Medication Guide.