Prescription Drugs

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY This combination drug product is intended as a treatment for tension headache. It consists of a fixed combination of butalbital and acetaminophen. The role each component plays in the relief of the complex of symptoms known as tension headache is incompletely understood. Pharmacokinetics The behavior of the individual components is described below. Butalbital Butalbital is well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and is expected to distribute to most tissues in the body. Barbiturates in general may appear in breast milk and readily cross the placental barrier. They are bound to plasma and tissue proteins to a varying degree and binding increases directly as a function of lipid solubility. Elimination of butalbital is primarily via the kidney (59% to 88% of the dose) as unchanged drug or metabolites. The plasma half-life is about 35 hours. Urinary excretion products include parent drug (about 3.6% of the dose), 5-isobutyl-5-(2,3-dihydroxypropyl) barbituric acid (about 24% of the dose), 5-allyl-5(3-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-propyl) barbituric acid (about 4.8% of the dose), products with the barbituric acid ring hydrolyzed with excretion of urea (about 14% of the dose), as well as unidentified materials. Of the material excreted in the urine, 32% is conjugated. The in vitro plasma protein binding of butalbital is 45% over the concentration range of 0.5 to 20 mcg/mL. This falls within the range of plasma protein binding (20% to 45%) reported with other barbiturates such as phenobarbital, pentobarbital, and secobarbital sodium. The plasma-to-blood concentration ratio was almost unity indicating that there is no preferential distribution of butalbital into either plasma or blood cells (See OVERDOSAGE for toxicity information.). Acetaminophen Acetaminophen is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and is distributed throughout most body tissues. The plasma half-life is 1.25 to 3 hours, but may be increased by liver damage and following overdosage. Elimination of acetaminophen is principally by liver metabolism (conjugation) and subsequent renal excretion of metabolites. Approximately 85% of an oral dose appears in the urine within 24 hours of administration, most as the glucuronide conjugate, with small amounts of other conjugates and unchanged drug. (See OVERDOSAGE for toxicity information.)

CEPHADYN (butalbital and acetaminophen) Tablets 50 mg/650 mg DESCRIPTION Butalbital and acetaminophen is supplied in tablet form for oral administration: Butalbital (5-allyl-5-isobutylbarbituric acid), a slightly bitter, white, odorless, crystalline powder, is a short to intermediate-acting barbiturate. It has the following structural formula: C11H16N2O3 MW = 224.26 Acetaminophen (4´-hydroxyacetanilide), a slightly bitter, white, odorless, crystalline powder, is a non-opiate, non-salicylate analgesic and antipyretic. It has the following structural formula: C8H9NO2 MW = 151.16 Each Cephadyn Tablet contains: Butalbital ............... 50 mg (Warning: May be habit-forming.) Acetaminophen .... 650 mg In addition, each tablet contains the following inactive ingredients: colloidal silicon dioxide, croscarmellose sodium, crospovidone, microcrystalline cellulose, povidone, pregelatinized starch, stearic acid with FD&C Blue #1 Lake as coloring.

INDICATIONS Cephadyn Tablets are indicated for the relief of the symptom complex of tension (or muscle contraction) headache. Evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of this combination product in the treatment of multiple recurrent headaches is unavailable. Caution in this regard is required because butalbital is habit-forming and potentially abusable. DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Oral: One tablet every four hours as needed. Total daily dosage should not exceed 6 tablets. Extended and repeated use of this product is not recommended because of the potential for physical dependence. HOW SUPPLIED Cephadyn Tablets (Butalbital and Acetaminophen Tablets) 50 mg/650 mg are supplied in bottles of 100 tablets, NDC 59702-650-01 and in bottles of 500 tablets, NDC 59702-650-50. Each tablet contains butalbital 50 mg (Warning: May be habit-forming) and acetaminophen 650 mg. Tablets are uncoated, blue, capsule-shaped and are debossed “A” score “P” on one side and “110” on the other side. Storage Protect from light and moisture. Store at controlled room temperature, 15°C to 30°C (59°F to 86°F) [see USP]. Dispense in a tight, light-resistant container with a child-resistant closure. Manufactured for: Atley Pharmaceuticals, Ashland, VA 23005. Manufactured by: Mikart, Inc. Atlanta, GA 30318. Rev. 09/03

PATIENT INFORMATION This product may impair mental and/or physical abilities required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks such as driving a car or operating machinery.  Such tasks should be avoided while taking this product. Alcohol and other CNS depressants may produce an additive CNS depression, when taken with this combination product, and should be avoided. Butalbital may be habit-forming. Patients should take the drug only for as long as it is prescribed, in the amounts prescribed, and no more frequently than prescribed.

SIDE EFFECTS Frequently Observed The most frequently reported adverse reactions are drowsiness, lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and intoxicated feeling. Infrequently Observed All adverse events tabulated below are classified as infrequent. Central Nervous System headache, shaky feeling, tingling, agitation, fainting, fatigue, heavy eyelids, high energy, hot spells, numbness, sluggishness, seizure. Mental confusion, excitement or depression can also occur due to intolerance, particularly in elderly or debilitated patients, or due to overdosage of butalbital. Autonomic Nervous System: dry mouth, hyperhidrosis. Gastrointestinal: difficulty swallowing, heartburn, flatulence, constipation. Cardiovascular: tachycardia. Musculoskeletal: leg pain, muscle fatigue. Genitourinary: diuresis. Miscellaneous: pruritus, fever, earache, nasal congestion, tinnitus, euphoria, allergic reactions. Several cases of dermatological reactions, including toxic epidermal necrolysis and erythema multiforme, have been reported. The following adverse drug events may be borne in mind as potential effects of the components of this product. Potential effects of high dosage are listed in the OVERDOSAGE section. Acetaminophen: allergic reactions, rash, thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis. Drug abuse and depedence Abuse and Dependence Butalbital Barbiturates may be habit-forming: Tolerance, psychological dependence, and physical dependence may occur especially following prolonged use of high doses of barbiturates. The average daily dose for the barbiturate addict is usually about 1500 mg. As tolerance to barbiturates develops, the amount needed to maintain the same level of intoxication increases; tolerance to a fatal dosage, however, does not increase more than two-fold. As this occurs, the margin between an intoxication dosage and fatal dosage becomes smaller. The lethal dose of a barbiturate is far less if alcohol is also ingested. Major withdrawal symptoms (convulsions and delirium) may occur within 16 hours and last up to 5 days after abrupt cessation of these drugs. Intensity of withdrawal symptoms gradually declines over a period of approximately 15 days. Treatment of barbiturate dependence consists of cautious and gradual withdrawal of the drug. Barbiturate dependent patients can be withdrawn by using a number of different withdrawal regimens. One method involves initiating treatment at the patient's regular dosage level and gradually decreasing the daily dosage as tolerated by the patient. DRUG INTERACTIONS The CNS effects of butalbital may be enhanced by monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. Butalbital and acetaminophen may enhance the effects of: other narcotic analgesics, alcohol, general anesthetics, tranquilizers such as chlordiazepoxide, sedative-hypnotics, or other CNS depressants, causing increased CNS depression. Drug/Laboratory Test Interactions Acetaminophen may produce false-positive test results for urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid.

WARNINGS Butalbital is habit-forming and potentially abusable. Consequently, the extended use of this product is not recommended. PRECAUTIONS General Cephadyn Tablets should be prescribed with caution in certain special-risk patients, such as the elderly or debilitated, and those with severe impairment of renal or hepatic function, or acute abdominal conditions. Laboratory Tests In patients with severe hepatic or renal disease, effects of therapy should be monitored with serial liver and/or renal function tests. Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility No adequate studies have been conducted in animals to determine whether acetaminophen or butalbital have a potential for carcinogenesis, mutagenesis or impairment of fertility. Pregnancy Teratogenic Effects - Pregnancy Category C Animal reproduction studies have not been conducted with this combination product. It is also not known whether butalbital and acetaminophen can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect reproduction capacity. This product should be given to a pregnant woman only when clearly needed. Nonteratogenic Effects Withdrawal seizures were reported in a two-day-old male infant whose mother had taken a butalbital-containing drug during the last two months of pregnancy. Butalbital was found in the infant's serum. The infant was given phenobarbital 5 mg/kg, which was tapered without further seizure or other withdrawal symptoms. Nursing Mothers Barbiturates and acetaminophen are excreted in breast milk in small amounts, but the significance of their effects on nursing infants is not known. Because of potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from butalbital and acetaminophen, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother. Pediatric Use Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients below the age of 12 have not been established.