Generic name: pancrelipase
Drug class: Digestive enzymes
Dosage form: tablet
Availability: Prescription only
Pregnancy & Lactation: Risk data available
Generic name: pancrelipase
Drug class: Digestive enzymes
Dosage form: tablet
Availability: Prescription only
Pregnancy & Lactation: Risk data available
Viokace is a prescription medicine used with a proton pump inhibitor medicine (PPI) to treat adults who cannot digest food normally. Adults with swelling of the pancreas that lasts a long time (chronic pancreatitis), or who have had some or all of their pancreas removed (pancreatectomy) may not digest food normally because they do not make enough enzymes or because their enzymes are not released into the bowel (intestine).
Viokace contains a mixture of digestive enzymes (including lipases, proteases, and amylases) from pig pancreas.
It is not known if Viokace is safe and effective in children. Use of Viokace in children may result in poor nutrition and slowing of growth.
Viokace may increase your chance of having a rare bowel disorder called fibrosing colonopathy. This condition is serious and may require surgery. The risk of having this condition may be reduced by following the dosing instructions that your doctor gave you.
Call your doctor right away if you have any unusual or severe:
Take Viokace exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take more or less Viokace than directed by your doctor.
Before taking Viokace, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including if you:
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, or herbal supplements.
Know the medicines you take. Keep a list of them and show it to your doctor and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.
Viokace may cause serious side effects, including:
Call your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms.
The most common side effects of Viokace include:
Other possible side effects:
Viokace and other pancreatic enzyme products are made from the pancreas of pigs, the same pigs people eat as pork. These pigs may carry viruses. Although it has never been reported, it may be possible for a person to get a viral infection from taking pancreatic enzyme products that come from pigs.
Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.
These are not all the side effects of Viokace. For more information ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
You may also report side effects to Aptalis Pharma US, Inc. at 1-800-472-2634.
See more: Viokace Side Effects