SODIUM BICARB*1000TAB 500MG

SODIO BICARBONATO SELLA 500 mg tablets
Sodium bicarbonate

What it is and what it is used for
Short-term treatment of gastric hyperacidity.

SODIO BICARBONATO SELLA contains the active ingredient sodium bicarbonate, belonging to the class of antacids.
This medicine is indicated for the short-term treatment of excessive stomach acidity.

Consult your doctor if you do not feel better or if you feel worse after a short period of treatment.

What you need to know before taking the medicine
Do not take SODIO BICARBONATO SELLA
- if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to sodium bicarbonate or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6);
- if you suffer from severe kidney problems (severe renal failure);
- if you have an increase in blood pH caused by respiratory problems (respiratory alkalosis);
- if you have low blood calcium levels (hypocalcemia, due to an increased risk of tetany);
- if you have low blood chloride levels (hypochloremia) caused by taking medicines such as diuretics (see section "Other medicines and SODIO BICARBONATO SELLA") or by the loss of excessive amounts of chloride following vomiting or other practices such as continuous gastrointestinal suction;
- if the person who needs to take this medicine is under 12 years of age;
- if you are pregnant (see section "Pregnancy and breastfeeding").

Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking SODIO BICARBONATO SELLA.

Use this medicine with caution and inform your doctor in the following cases:
- if you suffer or have suffered from severe heart problems (congestive heart failure);
- if you suffer from kidney problems (renal impairment);
- if you have problems urinating or produce no urine at all (oliguria or anuria);
- if you have high blood pressure (hypertension);
- if you suffer from liver problems (liver cirrhosis);
- if you use anti-inflammatory medicines (corticosteroids);
- if you are following a low-sodium diet (e.g. in some cases of congestive heart failure, renal impairment, hypertension);
- if you suffer from fluid accumulation caused by sodium retention (this can be due to diseases such as liver cirrhosis, congestive heart failure, renal failure, toxemia or pregnancy);
- if you produce low levels of gastric acid, as this could decrease the effectiveness of the medicine and increase its absorption into the blood;
- if you have low blood potassium levels, in this case you will need to periodically monitor your heart function and blood mineral salt (electrolyte) levels;
- if you suffer from inflammation of the stomach or small intestine.

This medicine contains 137 mg of sodium (a main component of table salt) per tablet. This is equivalent to 6.8% of the maximum daily recommended dietary intake for an adult.

Children and adolescents
SODIO BICARBONATO SELLA should NOT be taken by children under 12 years of age.

Possible side effects
Like all medicines, SODIO BICARBONATO SELLA can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
The following side effects may occur:
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data):
- allergic and anaphylactic reactions such as urticaria and airway obstruction (bronchospasm);
- abdominal pain, vomiting, abdominal gas (flatulence) and stomach lesions;
- swelling due to fluid accumulation (edema), especially in elderly patients and in the presence of heart or kidney failure;
- metabolic alkalosis, especially in patients with kidney failure, which manifests with symptoms such as:
shortness of breath, muscle weakness due to potassium deficiency, excessive increase in muscle tone, muscle spasms and stiffness (tetany);
- excessive increase in the amount of sodium in the blood (hypernatremia);
- fluid accumulation in the lungs (pulmonary edema);
- reduction of blood pumped by the heart (cardiac output);
- reduction of blood pressure (hypotension);
- fluid accumulation in the brain (cerebral edema);
- bleeding in the head (intracranial hemorrhage);
- excessive increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood (hypercapnia).

Adherence to the instructions in the package leaflet reduces the risk of side effects.

Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, including any 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.