Naproxen

1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Naproxen Suspension is indicated for: the relief of the signs and symptoms of: rheumatoid arthritis osteoarthritis ankylosing spondylitis polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis tendonitis bursitis acute gout the management of: pain primary dysmenorrhea Naproxen Suspension is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug indicated for: the relief of the signs and symptoms of: rheumatoid arthritis osteoarthritis ankylosing spondylitis polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis tendonitis bursitis acute gout the management of: pain primary dysmenorrhea

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Use the lowest effective dose for shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals. ( 2 ) Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, and Ankylosing Spondylitis Naproxen Suspension 250 mg (10 mL) or 375 mg (15 mL) or 500 mg (20 mL) twice daily twice daily twice daily The dose may be adjusted up or down depending on the clinical response of the patient. In patients who tolerate lower doses well, the dose may be increased to naproxen 1500 mg/day for up to 6 months. Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Recommended total daily dose of naproxen is approximately 10 mg/kg given in 2 divided doses. The following table may be used as a guide for dosing of naproxen suspension: Patient’s Weight Dose Administered as 13 kg (29 lb) 62.5 mg twice daily 2.5 mL (1/2 tsp) twice daily 25 kg (55 lb) 125 mg twice daily 5.0 mL (1 tsp) twice daily 38 kg (84 lb) 187.5 mg twice daily 7.5 mL (1 1/2 tsp) twice daily Management of Pain, Primary Dysmenorrhea, and Acute Tendonitis and Bursitis The recommended starting dose of Naproxen Suspension is 500 mg (20 mL), followed by 250 mg (10 mL) every 6 to 8 hours as required. Acute Gout The recommended starting dose is 750 mg (30 mL) of Naproxen Suspension followed by 250 mg (10 mL) every 8 hours until the attack has subsided. 2.1 General Dosing Instructions Carefully consider the potential benefits and risks of Naproxen Suspension and other treatment options before deciding to use Naproxen Suspension. Use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration consistent with individual patient treatment goals [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5 ) ]. After observing the response to initial therapy with Naproxen Suspension, the dose and frequency should be adjusted to suit an individual patient’s needs. Always use a calibrated measuring device when administering Naproxen Suspension to ensure the dose is measured and administered accurately. A household teaspoon or tablespoon is not an adequate measuring device, especially when one-half of a teaspoonful is to be measured. Given the variability of the household spoon measure, it is strongly recommended that caregivers obtain and use a calibrated measuring device. Health care providers should recommend an appropriate measuring device that can measure and deliver the prescribed dose accurately, and instruct caregivers to use extreme caution in measuring the dosage. Naproxen-containing products such as Naproxen Suspension, and other naproxen products should not be used concomitantly since they all circulate in the plasma as the naproxen anion. 2.2 Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis The recommended dosage of Naproxen Suspension is shown in Table 1. Table 1: Recommended dosages of Naproxen Suspension Naproxen Suspension 250 mg (10 mL) or 375 mg (15 mL) or 500 mg (20 mL) twice daily twice daily twice daily Naproxen Suspension should be shaken gently before use. During long-term administration, the dose of naproxen may be adjusted up or down depending on the clinical response of the patient. A lower daily dose may suffice for long-term administration. The morning and evening doses do not have to be equal in size and the administration of the drug more frequently than twice daily is not necessary. The morning and evening doses do not have to be equal in size and administration of the drug more frequently than twice daily does not generally make a difference in response. In patients who tolerate lower doses well, the dose may be increased to naproxen 1500 mg/day for limited periods of up to 6 months when a higher level of anti-inflammatory/analgesic activity is required. When treating such patients with naproxen 1500 mg/day, the physician should observe sufficient increased clinical benefits to offset the potential increased risk. 2.3 Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis The use of Naproxen Suspension is recommended for juvenile arthritis in children 2 years or older because it allows for mor…

5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Hepatotoxicity: Inform patients of warning signs and symptoms of hepatotoxicity. Discontinue if abnormal liver tests persist or worsen or if clinical signs and symptoms of liver disease develop. ( 5.3 Hepatotoxicity) Hypertension: Patients taking some antihypertensive medications may have impaired response to these therapies when taking NSAIDs. Monitor blood pressure. ( 5.4 , 7 ) Heart Failure and Edema: Avoid use of Naproxen Suspension in patients with severe heart failure unless benefits are expected to outweigh risk of worsening heart failure. ( 5.5 ) Renal Toxicity: Monitor renal function in patients with renal or hepatic impairment, heart failure, dehydration, or hypovolemia. Avoid use of Naproxen Suspension in patients with advanced renal disease unless benefits are expected to outweigh risk of worsening renal function. ( 5.6 Renal Toxicity and Hyperkalemia) Anaphylactic Reactions: Seek emergency help if an anaphylactic reaction occurs. ( 5.7 ) Exacerbation of Asthma Related to Aspirin Sensitivity: Naproxen Suspension is contraindicated in patients with aspirin-sensitive asthma. Monitor patients with preexisting asthma (without aspirin sensitivity). ( 5.8 ) Serious Skin Reactions: Discontinue Naproxen Suspension at first appearance of skin rash or other signs of hypersensitivity. ( 5.9 ) Premature Closure of Fetal Ductus Arteriosus: Avoid use in pregnant women starting at 30 weeks gestation. ( 5.10 , 8.1 ) Hematologic Toxicity: Monitor hemoglobin or hematocrit in patients with any signs or symptoms of anemia. ( 5.11 , 7 ) 5.1 Cardiovascular Thrombotic Events Clinical trials of several COX-2 selective and nonselective NSAIDs of up to three years duration have shown an increased risk of serious cardiovascular (CV) thrombotic events, including myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, which can be fatal. Based on available data, it is unclear that the risk for CV thrombotic events is similar for all NSAIDs. The relative increase in serious CV thrombotic events over baseline conferred by NSAID use appears to be similar in those with and without known CV disease or risk factors for CV disease. However, patients with known CV disease or risk factors had a higher absolute incidence of excess serious CV thrombotic events, due to their increased baseline rate. Some observational studies found that this increased risk of serious CV thrombotic events began as early as the first weeks of treatment. The increase in CV thrombotic risk has been observed most consistently at higher doses. To minimize the potential risk for an adverse CV event in NSAID-treated patients, use the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration possible. Physicians and patients should remain alert for the development of such events, throughout the entire treatment course, even in the absence of previous CV symptoms. Patients should be informed about the symptoms of serious CV events and the steps to take if they occur. There is no consistent evidence that concurrent use of aspirin mitigates the increased risk of serious CV thrombotic events associated with NSAID use. The concurrent use of aspirin and an NSAID, such as naproxen, increases the risk of serious gastrointestinal (GI) events [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 ) ] Status Post Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery Two large, controlled clinical trials of a COX-2 selective NSAID for the treatment of pain in the first 10–14 days following CABG surgery found an increased incidence of myocardial infarction and stroke. NSAIDs are contraindicated in the setting of CABG [ see Contraindications ( 4 ) ] Post-MI Patients Observational studies conducted in the Danish National Registry have demonstrated that patients treated with NSAIDs in the post-MI period were at increased risk of reinfarction, CV-related death, and all-cause mortality beginning in the first week of treatment. In this same cohort, the incidence of death in the first year post-MI was 20 per 100 person years in…

4 CONTRAINDICATIONS Naproxen Suspension is contraindicated in the following patients: Known hypersensitivity (e.g., anaphylactic reactions and serious skin reactions) to naproxen or any components of the drug product [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7 , 5.9 ) ] History of asthma, urticaria, or other allergic-type reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs. Severe, sometimes fatal, anaphylactic reactions to NSAIDs have been reported in such patients [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7 , 5.8 ) ] In the setting of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 ) ] Known hypersensitivity to naproxen or any components of the drug product ( 4 ) History of asthma, urticaria, or other allergic-type reactions after taking aspirin or other NSAIDs ( 4 ) In the setting of CABG surgery ( 4 )

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS See Table 2 for clinically significant drug interactions with naproxen. Table 2: Clinically Significant Drug Interactions with Naproxen. Drugs That Interfere with Hemostasis Clinical Impact: Naproxen and anticoagulants such as warfarin have a synergistic effect on bleeding. The concomitant use of naproxen and anticoagulants have an increased risk of serious bleeding compared to the use of either drug alone. Serotonin release by platelets plays an important role in hemostasis. Case-control and cohort epidemiological studies showed that concomitant use of drugs that interfere with serotonin reuptake and an NSAID may potentiate the risk of bleeding more than an NSAID alone. Intervention: Monitor patients with concomitant use of Naproxen Suspension with anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin), antiplatelet agents (e.g., aspirin), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) for signs of bleeding [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.11 ) ]. Aspirin Clinical Impact: A pharmacodynamic (PD) study has demonstrated an interaction in which lower dose naproxen (220mg/day or 220mg twice daily) interfered with the antiplatelet effect of low-dose immediate-release aspirin, with the interaction most marked during the washout period of naproxen [ see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.2 ) ]. There is reason to expect that the interaction would be present with prescription doses of naproxen or with enteric-coated low-dose aspirin; however, the peak interference with aspirin function may be later than observed in the PD study due to the longer washout period. Controlled clinical studies showed that the concomitant use of NSAIDs and analgesic doses of aspirin does not produce any greater therapeutic effect than the use of NSAIDs alone. In a clinical study, the concomitant use of an NSAID and aspirin was associated with a significantly increased incidence of GI adverse reactions as compared to use of the NSAID alone [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 ) ]. Intervention: Because there may be an increased risk of cardiovascular events following discontinuation of naproxen due to the interference with the antiplatelet effect of aspirin during the washout period, for patients taking low-dose aspirin for cardioprotection who require intermittent analgesics, consider use of an NSAID that does not interfere with the antiplatelet effect of aspirin, or non-NSAID analgesics where appropriate. Concomitant use of Naproxen Suspension and analgesic doses of aspirin is not generally recommended because of the increased risk of bleeding [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.11 ) ]. Naproxen suspension is not a substitute for low dose aspirin for cardiovascular protection. ACE Inhibitors, Angiotensin Receptor Blockers, and Beta-Blockers Clinical Impact: NSAIDs may diminish the antihypertensive effect of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), or beta-blockers (including propranolol). In patients who are elderly, volume-depleted (including those on diuretic therapy), or have renal impairment, co-administration of an NSAID with ACE inhibitors or ARBs may result in deterioration of renal function, including possible acute renal failure. These effects are usually reversible. Intervention: During concomitant use of Naproxen Suspension and ACE-inhibitors, ARBs, or beta-blockers, monitor blood pressure to ensure that the desired blood pressure is obtained. During concomitant use of Naproxen Suspension and ACE-inhibitors or ARBs in patients who are elderly, volume-depleted, or have impaired renal function, monitor for signs of worsening renal function [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.6 Renal Toxicity and Hyperkalemia ) ]. When these drugs are administered concomitantly, patients should be adequately hydrated. Assess renal function at the beginning of the concomitant treatment and periodically thereafter. Diuretics Clinical Impact: Clinical studies, as well as post-…

8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary Use of NSAIDs, including Naproxen Suspension, during the third trimester of pregnancy increases the risk of premature closure of the fetal ductus arteriosus. Avoid use of NSAIDs, including Naproxen Suspension, in pregnant women starting at 30 weeks of gestation (third trimester). There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of Naproxen Suspension in pregnant women. Data from observational studies regarding potential embryofetal risks of NSAID use in women in the first or second trimesters of pregnancy are inconclusive. In the general U.S. population, all clinically recognized pregnancies, regardless of drug exposure, have a background rate of 2-4% for major malformations, and 15-20% for pregnancy loss. In animal reproduction studies in rats, rabbits, and mice no evidence of teratogenicity or fetal harm when naproxen was administered during the period of organogenesis at doses 0.13, 0.26, and 0.6 times the maximum recommended human daily dose of 1500 mg/day, respectively. Based on animal data, prostaglandins have been shown to have an important role in endometrial vascular permeability, blastocyst implantation, and decidualization. In animal studies, administration of prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors such as naproxen, resulted in increased pre- and post-implantation loss. Clinical Considerations Labor or Delivery There are no studies on the effects of Naproxen Suspension during labor or delivery. In animal studies, NSAIDS, including naproxen, inhibit prostaglandin synthesis, cause delayed parturition, and increase the incidence of stillbirth. Data Human data There is some evidence to suggest that when inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis are used to delay preterm labor there is an increased risk of neonatal complications such as necrotizing enterocolitis, patent ductus arteriosus and intracranial hemorrhage. Naproxen treatment given in late pregnancy to delay parturition has been associated with persistent pulmonary hypertension, renal dysfunction and abnormal prostaglandin E levels in preterm infants. Because of the known effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on the fetal cardiovascular system (closure of ductus arteriosus), use during pregnancy (particularly starting at 30 weeks of gestation, or third trimester) should be avoided. Animal data Reproduction studies have been performed in rats at 20 mg/kg/day (0.13 times the maximum recommended human daily dose of 1500 mg/day based on body surface area comparison), rabbits at 20 mg/kg/day (0.26 times the maximum recommended human daily dose, based on body surface area comparison), and mice at 170 mg/kg/day (0.6 times the maximum recommended human daily dose based on body surface area comparison) with no evidence of impaired fertility or harm to the fetus due to the drug. Based on animal data, prostaglandins have been shown to have an important role in endometrial vascular permeability, blastocyst implantation, and decidualization. In animal studies, administration of prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors such as naproxen, resulted in increased pre- and post-implantation loss.

12.2 Pharmacodynamics In a healthy volunteer study, 10 days of concomitant administration of naproxen 220 mg once-daily with low-dose immediate-release aspirin (81 mg) showed an interaction with the antiplatelet activity of aspirin as measured by % serum thromboxane B2 inhibition at 24 hours following the day 10 dose [98.7% (aspirin alone) vs 93.1% (naproxen and aspirin)]. The interaction was observed even following discontinuation of naproxen on day 11 (while aspirin dose was continued) but normalized by day 13. In the same study, the interaction was greater when naproxen was administered 30 minutes prior to aspirin [98.7% vs 87.7%] and minimal when aspirin was administered 30 minutes prior to naproxen [98.7% vs 95.4%]. Following administration of naproxen 220 mg twice-daily with low-dose immediate release aspirin (first naproxen dose given 30 minutes prior to aspirin), the interaction was minimal at 24 h following day 10 dose [98.7% vs 95.7%]. However, the interaction was more prominent after discontinuation of naproxen (washout) on day 11 [98.7% vs 84.3%] and did not normalize completely by day 13 [98.5% vs 90.7%]. [ see Drug Interactions ( 7 ) ].

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following adverse reactions are discussed in greater detail in other sections of the labeling: Cardiovascular Thrombotic Events [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 Cardiovascular Thrombotic Events ) ] GI Bleeding, Ulceration, and Perforation [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 ) ] Hepatotoxicity [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 Hepatotoxicity ) ] Hypertension [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 Hypertension ) ] Heart Failure and Edema [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 Heart Failure and Edema ) ] Renal Toxicity and Hyperkalemia [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.6 Renal Toxicity and Hyperkalemia ) ] Anaphylactic Reactions [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7 ) ] Serious Skin Reactions [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.9 ) ] Hematologic Toxicity [ see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.11 ) ] Most common adverse reactions to naproxen were dyspepsia, abdominal pain, nausea, headache, rash, ecchymosis, and edema. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Pharmaceutical Associates, Inc. at 1-800-845-8210 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Adverse reactions reported in controlled clinical trials in 960 patients treated for rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis are listed below. In general, reactions in patients treated chronically were reported 2 to 10 times more frequently than they were in short-term studies in the 962 patients treated for mild to moderate pain or for dysmenorrhea. The most frequent complaints reported related to the gastrointestinal tract. A clinical study found gastrointestinal reactions to be more frequent and more severe in rheumatoid arthritis patients taking daily doses of 1500 mg naproxen compared to those taking 750 mg naproxen. In controlled clinical trials with about 80 pediatric patients and in well-monitored, open-label studies with about 400 pediatric patients with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis treated with naproxen, the incidence of rash and prolonged bleeding times were greater, the incidence of gastrointestinal and central nervous system reactions were about the same, and the incidence of other reactions were lower in pediatric patients than in adults. In patients taking naproxen in clinical trials, the most frequently reported adverse experiences in approximately 1% to 10% of patients are: Gastrointestinal (GI) Experiences, including: heartburn*, abdominal pain*, nausea*, constipation*, diarrhea, dyspepsia, stomatitis Central Nervous System: headache*, dizziness*, drowsiness*, lightheadedness, vertigo Dermatologic: pruritus (itching)*, skin eruptions*, ecchymoses*, sweating, purpura Special Senses: tinnitus*, visual disturbances, hearing disturbances Cardiovascular: edema*, palpitations General: dyspnea*, thirst *Incidence of reported reaction between 3% and 9%. Those reactions occurring in less than 3% of the patients are unmarked. In patients taking NSAIDs, the following adverse experiences have also been reported in approximately 1% to 10% of patients. Gastrointestinal (GI) Experiences, including: flatulence, gross bleeding/perforation, GI ulcers (gastric/duodenal), vomiting General: abnormal renal function, anemia, elevated liver enzymes, increased bleeding time, rashes 6.2 Postmarketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of naproxen. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. The following are additional adverse experiences reported in <1% of patients taking naproxen during clinical trials and through postmarketing reports.…