Lioresal

• Kemstro^®
• Lioresal^®

Lioresal is a prescription medication used to alleviate signs and symptoms of muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injuries and other spinal cord diseases.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• alcohol
• benzodiazepines (drugs used to treat anxiety, panic attacks and other conditions) such as alprazolam (Xanax), chlordiazepoxide (Librium), clobazam (Onfi), clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Valium), lorazepam (Ativan), temazepam (Restoril) and others
• opioids (narcotic pain medicines) such as hydrocodone (in Lortab, in Vicodin), morphine (Avinza, Kadian, MS Contin, others), oxycodone (Oxycontin)
• tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, amoxapine, desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin, imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil)
• sleep medicines such as eszopiclone (Lunesta), ramelteon (Rozerem), zaleplon (Sonata), zolpidem (Ambien)
• muscle relaxants such as carisoprodol (Soma), cyclobenzaprine (Amrix, Flexeril), dantrolene (Dantrium) or metaxalone (Skelaxin)
• other medicines that cause sedation

This is not a complete list of Lioresal drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Baclofen is a muscle relaxer and an antispastic agent.

Baclofen is used to treat muscle symptoms caused by multiple sclerosis, including spasm, pain, and stiffness.

Baclofen is sometimes used to treat muscle spasms and other symptoms in people with injury or disease of the spinal cord.

Baclofen may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Do not use baclofen at a time when you need muscle tone for safe balance and movement during certain activities. In some situations, it may be dangerous for you to have reduced muscle tone.

Drinking alcohol with this medicine can cause side effects.

This medication may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

Skeletal muscle relaxant and antispastic agent; a GABA derivative.113 128

Storage

Oral

Well-closed containers at 20–25°C.128

Parenteral

≤30°C.113 Refrigeration not required.113 Do not freeze or autoclave.113

Compatibility

For information on systemic interactions resulting from concomitant use, see Interactions.

Parenteral

In Canada

• Lioresal
• Lioresal Double Strength

Available Dosage Forms:

• Powder for Suspension
• Tablet

Therapeutic Class: Skeletal Muscle Relaxant, Centrally Acting

Chemical Class: Gamma Aminobutyric Acid (class)

Baclofen is used to help relax certain muscles in your body. It relieves the spasms, cramping, and tightness of muscles caused by medical problems such as multiple sclerosis or certain injuries to the spine. Baclofen does not cure these problems, but it may allow other treatment, such as physical therapy, to be more helpful in improving your condition.

Baclofen acts on the central nervous system (CNS) to produce its muscle relaxant effects. Its actions on the CNS may also cause some of the medicine's side effects. Baclofen may also be used to relieve other conditions as determined by your doctor.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Lioresal is useful for the alleviation of signs and symptoms of spasticity resulting from multiple sclerosis, particularly for the relief of flexor spasms and concomitant pain, clonus, and muscular rigidity.

Patients should have reversible spasticity so that Lioresal treatment will aid in restoring residual function.

Lioresal may also be of some value in patients with spinal cord injuries and other spinal cord diseases.

Lioresal is not indicated in the treatment of skeletal muscle spasm resulting from rheumatic disorders.

The efficacy of Lioresal in stroke, cerebral palsy, and Parkinson’s disease has not been established and, therefore, it is not recommended for these conditions.

Hypersensitivity to baclofen.

Signs and Symptoms:

Vomiting, muscular hypotonia, drowsiness, accommodation disorders, coma, respiratory depression, and seizures.

Treatment:

In the alert patient, empty the stomach promptly by induced emesis followed by lavage. In the obtunded patient, secure the airway with a cuffed endotracheal tube before beginning lavage (do not induce emesis). Maintain adequate respiratory exchange, do not use respiratory stimulants.