Fortrans

Package leaflet: Information for the user

Warning! Keep this leaflet. Information on the immediate packaging is in a foreign language.
Fortrans (fortrans)
powder for oral solution, in a sachet
macrogol 4000, sodium sulfate anhydrous, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride
Fortrans and фортранс are the same trade names of the same medicinal product, written in the
Polish and Bulgarian languages.
Please read the leaflet carefully before using the medicine, as it contains
important information for the patient.

• Keep this leaflet, so that you can read it again if necessary.
• If you have any doubts, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for a specific person only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm someone else, even if their symptoms are the same.
• If you experience any adverse reactions, including any not listed in this leaflet, inform your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. See section 4.

Contents of the leaflet:

1. What Fortrans is and what it is used for
2. Important information before taking Fortrans
3. How to take Fortrans
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Fortrans
6. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What Fortrans is and what it is used for

Fortrans is used in adults to cleanse the bowel before an examination or surgical procedure
involving the intestine.
Fortrans is an osmotic laxative containing high molecular weight macrogol (polyethylene glycol, PEG) and additional electrolytes. Fortrans increases the amount of fluid in the intestine, resulting in more frequent watery bowel movements, thereby cleansing the bowel.

2. Important information before using Fortrans

When not to use Fortrans:

• if the patient is allergic to macrogol (PEG), anhydrous sodium sulfate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6);
• if the patient has severe heart failure;
• if the patient is in a serious general condition, e.g. is dehydrated;
• if the patient is in an advanced stage of cancer or has another disease leading to excessive fragility of the mucous membrane;
• if the patient has an acute phase of inflammatory bowel disease, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis;
• if the patient has gastrointestinal wall perforation or there is an increased risk of gastrointestinal wall perforation;
• if the patient has colitis or toxic megacolon;
• if the patient has intestinal obstruction or suspected intestinal obstruction;
• if the patient has gastric emptying disorders (such as gastroparesis – delayed gastric emptying);
• in children and adolescents under 18 years of age.

Warnings and precautions
Fortrans may be used in elderly patients with poor general health only under medical supervision.
This medicine contains macrogol. Allergic reactions (including rash, urticaria, and severe allergic reactions with sudden swelling of the face, lips, tongue, wheezing or difficulty breathing) have been reported after administration of products containing macrogol.
Diarrhea induced by Fortrans may significantly impair the absorption of concomitantly administered medicines (see section Fortrans and other medicines).
If the patient is at risk of electrolyte imbalance (disturbances in water-electrolyte balance), for example patients with renal failure, heart failure, or those taking diuretics, the doctor may decide to monitor blood electrolyte levels before and after administration of Fortrans. Caution should be exercised when administering Fortrans to patients prone to water-electrolyte imbalances.
Before taking Fortrans, consult a doctor or pharmacist if:

• the patient has heart disease (including heart failure);
• the patient has kidney disease;
• the patient has swallowing disorders or risk of aspiration (food or fluid entering the airways);
• the patient is seriously ill;
• the patient is taking diuretics (medicines that increase urine production).

If during Fortrans administration for bowel cleansing the patient develops sudden abdominal pain or rectal bleeding, contact a doctor immediately or seek urgent medical help.
Children and adolescents
Fortrans is not intended for use in patients under 18 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established in this population.
Fortrans and other medicines
Inform your doctor or pharmacist about all medicines the patient is currently taking or has recently taken, as well as any medicines the patient plans to take.
Diarrhea resulting from Fortrans use may cause significant disturbances in the absorption of concomitantly administered medicines. The absorption of other medicines, such as digoxin (used in heart conditions), antiepileptic drugs, coumarins (blood thinners), and immunosuppressive drugs (used, for example, in cancer treatment and after organ transplantation) may be temporarily reduced during Fortrans administration, which could reduce their effectiveness.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility
If the patient is pregnant, breastfeeding, suspects she may be pregnant, or is planning to have a child, she should consult a doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine.
Fortrans contains sodium and potassium
Fortrans contains 2.890 g of sodium (the main component of table salt) per sachet. This corresponds to 144.5% of the maximum recommended daily dietary sodium intake for adults.
This should be taken into account in patients on a strict low-sodium diet.
Fortrans contains 393 mg of potassium per sachet, which should be considered in patients with impaired kidney function and in patients controlling potassium intake in their diet.

3. How to use Fortrans

Fortrans must always be used according to the doctor's instructions. If in doubt, consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Fortrans is intended for use in adults only. The recommended dose is approximately one litre of solution per 15 to 20 kg of body weight, corresponding to an average dosage of 3 to 4 litres of solution.
To obtain one litre of solution, the contents of one sachet should be dissolved in one litre of water. Mix thoroughly until the powder is completely dissolved. After dissolving the powder, administration of the solution should begin immediately. One litre of solution should be taken within one hour.
Fortrans may be administered:
in divided doses:

• either 2 litres in the evening on the day before the examination or procedure and 1–2 litres in the morning on the day of the examination or procedure;
• or 3 litres in the evening on the day before the examination or procedure and 1 litre in the morning on the day of the examination or procedure;

in a single dose:

• 3–4 litres in the evening on the day before the examination or procedure, with a possible one-hour break after drinking 2 litres of solution.

As directed by the doctor, drink one 250 ml glass of solution every 10 to 15 minutes.
It is recommended that the patient take the last portion of the solution 3–4 hours before the examination or procedure.
Taking more Fortrans than recommended
If the patient thinks they have taken too much Fortrans, they should inform their doctor and drink sufficient water or clear fluids to prevent dehydration.

4. Possible adverse reactions

After taking the medicine, frequent passage of loose stools will occur. This is normal and indicates the effective action of the medicine. You should remain close to a toilet until the effect of the medicine subsides.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause adverse reactions, although not everybody experiences them.
If any of the following symptoms occur, stop using the medicine Fortrans immediately and contact your doctor or the nearest hospital Emergency Department without delay. Take the medicine packaging with you to inform the doctor which medicine has been taken:

• Allergic reaction – symptoms may include skin rash, itchy skin swelling (urticaria), or itching.
• Severe allergic reaction causing swelling of the face or throat (angioedema) or breathing difficulties or dizziness (anaphylactic reaction).

Other adverse reactions include:
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)

• Nausea.
• Bloating or abdominal pain.

Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)

• Vomiting.

Frequency not known (cannot be estimated from the available data)

• Allergic reactions (including rash, urticaria, and severe allergic reaction with sudden swelling of the face, lips, tongue, wheezing or breathlessness).

Reporting of adverse reactions
If any adverse reactions occur, including any adverse reactions not listed in this leaflet, inform your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. Adverse reactions can also be reported directly to the Department of Monitoring Adverse Drug Reactions, Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices and Biocidal Products
Al. Jerozolimskie 181C
02-222 Warsaw
Phone: +48 22 49 21 301
Fax: +48 22 49 21 309
Website: https://smz.ezdrowie.gov.pl
By reporting adverse reactions, additional information on the safety of this medicine can be collected.

5. How to store Fortrans

Keep this medicine out of sight and reach of children.
No special storage instructions apply to this medicine.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date stated on the packaging. The expiry date refers to the last day of the stated month.
Medicines must not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. This will help protect the environment.

6. Contents of the packaging and other information

What Fortrans contains

• The active substances in the medicine are: macrogol 4000, sodium sulfate anhydrous, sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride.
• The excipient is sodium saccharin.

What Fortrans looks like and contents of the pack
Each sachet contains 73.69 g of powder.
The pack contains: 4 sachets.
For more detailed information, please contact the marketing authorisation holder or the parallel importer.
Marketing authorisation holder in Bulgaria, the country of export:
Ipsen Consumer HealthCare
65, quai Georges Gorse
92100, Boulogne Billancourt
France
Manufacturer:
Beaufour Ipsen Industrie
Rue Ethe Virton
28100 Dreux
France
Parallel importer:
Delfarma Sp. z o.o.
ul. Św. Teresy od Dzieciątka Jezus 111
91-222 Łódź
Repackaged in:
Delfarma Sp. z o.o.
ul. Św. Teresy od Dzieciątka Jezus 111
91-222 Łódź
Marketing authorisation number in Bulgaria, the country of export: 20011270
Parallel import authorisation number: 108/16