People's Pharmacy

Cognex

Generic Name:tacrine

Revised:4/1/2000

Table of Contents

Side Effects and Interactions

Cognex can cause a number of side effects which are more common at higher doses.

The most common include elevated liver enzymes, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches, loss of appetite, and trouble walking.

Chills, fever, nervousness, fainting, headache, dizziness, swelling of the feet and legs, excessive sweating and increased urination have also been reported.

Slower heart rate, increased stomach acid, breathing difficulties and convulsions could cause special problems in people with pre-existing conditions such as heart disease, ulcers, asthma or epilepsy.

Notify the doctor immediately if the patient develops a rash, yellow eyes or skin, very pale or black tarry stools, or if vomiting of material resembling coffee grounds occurs. These could indicate a serious adverse reaction.

If a person on Cognex needs an operation, be sure to tell the surgeon about the medication, as it could alter the response to drugs used in surgery.

Cognex slows the body's elimination of the asthma drug theophylline and blood levels can double. If both drugs are needed, the doctor should monitor theophylline blood levels and adjust the dose if necessary.

Any gastrointestinal side effects should be treated cautiously, as some common stomach medicines, such as Pro-Banthine, are likely to interact with Cognex.

In addition, Tagamet can increase the amount of Cognex circulating in the body.

Because Cognex has not been widely prescribed for very long, there may be other drug interactions that have not yet been identified.

Capsaicin (cayenne) inhibits liver enzymes (CYP1A2) and thus slows the metabolism of Cognex.

Ask your doctor and pharmacist to check whether any other drug or herb you are taking is safe in combination with Cognex.