EQUIMET*NASAL SPRAY FL 15ML0.05%

Equimet 0.5 mg/ml nasal spray, solution
Oxymetazoline hydrochloride

What it is and what it is used for
Equimet is a medicinal product containing oxymetazoline, a decongestant substance effective for topical use that provides prolonged relief from nasal obstruction.

Equimet is used as a nasal decongestant (clears a blocked nose), especially in case of a common cold. Consult your doctor if you do not feel better or if you feel worse after 4 days of treatment.

What you need to know before taking the medicine
Do not use Equimet
- if you are allergic to oxymetazoline or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in paragraph 6);
- if you suffer from an enlarged prostate (prostatic hypertrophy);
- if you have heart disease and/or very high blood pressure (severe arterial hypertension);
- if you have optic nerve disease (glaucoma);
- if you have excessive thyroid hormone production (hyperthyroidism);
- if you are being treated with antidepressant medicines or within two weeks following such therapy;
- if you suffer from inflammation or lesions of the oral mucosa or the skin around the nostrils;
- if you are under 12 years of age (see “Children”).

Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using Equimet.

Prolonged use of medicines that constrict blood vessels (vasoconstrictors) can alter the normal function of the nasal and paranasal sinus mucosa, also inducing tolerance to the medicine (habituation). Repeated applications for long periods can be harmful.

Patients with thyroid diseases, diabetes, or difficulty urinating due to an enlarged prostate should not take oxymetazoline, unless otherwise indicated by the doctor. Temporary discomfort such as burning, stinging, sneezing or increased nasal secretion may occur.

The use, especially prolonged, of products for topical use can give rise to allergic phenomena (sensitisation); in this case, stop the treatment and consult your doctor to set up an appropriate therapy. However, if you do not notice considerable improvements within a few days, consult your doctor. Do not prolong the treatment for more than 4 days to avoid a rebound effect and drug-induced rhinitis phenomena.

Do not use this medicine orally. The medicine, if accidentally ingested or if used for a long period in excessive doses, can cause toxic phenomena. Keep Equimet out of the reach of children, as accidental ingestion can cause marked sedation (see “If you use more Equimet than you should”). Avoid contact of the liquid with the eyes.

Pay particular attention with Equimet:
- If you suffer from heart and circulatory diseases (cardiovascular), especially if you have high blood pressure (hypertension); consult your doctor from time to time.
- If you are elderly, due to the risk of urinary retention (difficulty urinating).
Consult your doctor even if these disorders have occurred in the past.
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding (see “Pregnancy and breastfeeding”).

For those involved in sports: the medicine contains substances prohibited for doping. Any intake different from those reported, in terms of treatment regimen and route of administration, is prohibited.

Children
Equimet should not be used by children under 12 years of age.

Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

The medicine can locally cause allergic phenomena and worsening of the feeling of a blocked nose.

Due to the rapid absorption of the medicine through inflamed mucous membranes, general effects on the body (systemic) may occur, such as increased blood pressure (arterial hypertension), decreased heart rate (reflex bradycardia), headache (cephalalgia), difficulty urinating (micturition disorders), eye irritation, discomfort or redness, epistaxis (nosebleed), discomfort or irritation of the nose, mouth or throat, sneezing, tachycardia (accelerated heart rate), palpitations, elevated arterial pressure, reflex bradycardia (decreased heart rate), insomnia, nervousness, tremor, anxiety, agitation, irritability and headache, nausea).

Compliance with the instructions in the package leaflet reduces the risk of side effects.

Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, including those not listed in this leaflet, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting system at: https://www.aifa.gov.it/content/segnalazionireazioni-avverse.
By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.