Side Effects:

Common Headache, Palpitations, Abnormal stool, Diarrhoea, Dizziness, Chest pain, Loss of appetite, Bleeding, Rash.

Expert advice for Zilast Tablet

Take cilostazol tablet 1-2 hours before or after meals. minutes before breakfast and the evening meal.
Do not drive or use machinery that required you to be alert because you may feel sleepy or dizzy while being treated with cilostazol.
Do not take cilostazol, if you have congestive heart failure. Cilostazol can make this condition worse.
It may take up to 12 weeks of using cilostazol before your symptoms improve. For best results, keep using the medication as directed.
Consult your doctor, if your symptoms do not improve after 4 weeks of treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Zilast useful for treating systemic sclerosis?
Zilast is used as a maintenance therapy for Raynaud's phenomenon in patients with systemic sclerosis. Raynaud's phenomenon is characterized by spasm of blood vessels of extremities causing pale to blue to red sequence of color changes of fingers mainly after exposure to cold. Zilast is helpful in this condition because of its vasodilating properties.

Q. Is Zilast useful for erectile dysfunction?
Zilast is not used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. It is a vasodilator and inhibits platelet aggregation. It is used to treat peripheral vascular disease.

Q. Can Zilast be given in patients with underlying renal function?
Use of Zilast is contraindicated in patients with severe renal disease because its metabolite levels are increased in these patients and can cause harmful effects. It can be used safely in patients with mild to moderate renal disease.

Q. How is Zilast useful in treating peripheral vascular disease?
Peripheral vascular disease is associated with intermittent claudication which causes pain, cramping, numbness, or weakness in the legs while walking. This occurs due to blockage of arteries and insufficient blood flow to legs. Zilast increases blood flow and reduces the symptoms of intermittent claudication by widening the arteries and keeping the blood thin (does not allow platelets to stick together and form clots).

Q. Is it advisable to take Zilast with clarithromycin?
Clarithromycin can increase the level or effect of Zilast by blocking its breakdown (inhibits metabolism). The dose of Zilast may need to be adjusted if you have to take clarithromycin or other similar antibiotics like erythromycin along with.

Q. Is Zilast useful for percutaneous coronary interventions (coronary stenting)?
Zilast, when used with aspirin and clopidogrel, was found to be superior compared to aspirin and clopidogrel dual combination in preventing coronary artery restenosis or in-stent thrombosis in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention without increasing the risk of bleeding. However, this is not an approved use and these benefits were seen in some clinical studies.

Q. Is Zilast useful for the prevention of stroke?
Zilast can prevent new episodes of stroke without increasing the risk of bleeding in patients who once had an episode of ischaemic stroke. It is also seen to be effective for primary prevention of stroke in patients with peripheral artery disease. However, these are not approved uses and the benefits were seen in some clinical studies.

Q. What is the effect of Zilast on exercise?
Zilast decreases the muscle pain or cramps that occur during exercise in patients with intermittent claudication. Zilast can improve exercise capacity as judged by changes in maximal walking distance and pain-free walking distance.

Q. What are the contraindications to the use of Zilast?
Zilast is contraindicated in patients with blood, and clotting disorders, heart failure or active pathologic bleeding like bleeding peptic ulcer and intracranial bleeding and known or suspected hypersensitivity to Zilast or any of its components.

Q. When to stop Zilast before surgery or regional anesthesia?
Zilast should be stopped at least five days before surgery if the antiplatelet effect is not needed during the surgery. Due to reversible antiplatelet action and short half-life (11-13 h) of Zilast, the risk of surgical bleeding is less and regional anesthesia can be safely administered if it is stopped at least 72 h prior to surgery. However, Zilast should be stopped only after consulting your doctor and the surgeon.

Q. Can I take Zilast with sildenafil?
Zilast can be taken with sildenafil. There are no reported drug interactions or harmful effects when Zilast is taken along with sildenafil.

Q. Why take Zilast on an empty stomach?
Zilast is to be taken 30 minutes before breakfast or evening meal as food increases the absorption of Zilast causing an increased incidence of side-effects.

Q. Can I take Zilast with warfarin?
Zilast, when taken with warfarin, can increase the risk of bleeding. So they should be used very cautiously and a regular monitoring by your doctor is advisable to decrease the risk of bleeding.

Q. Is Zilast useful for varicose veins?
Zilast is not useful for the management of varicose veins. These are enlarged tortuous veins mainly of the lower limbs. These are treated with compression stockings, sclerotherapy (injecting some substances for closing these veins) or some surgical procedures.

Q. Is it beneficial to take Zilast with aspirin?
Zilast, when taken with aspirin, is seen to improve long-term outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary angioplasty. However, there can be an increased risk of bleeding as both inhibit platelet aggregation and make blood thin. If you are taking Zilast with aspirin, you should be monitored very closely by your doctor.

Q. What was the role of Zilast in restenosis trial?
Zilast for RESTenosis (CREST) clinical trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Zilast in inhibiting restenosis after stent implantation. The results showed a significant reduction in the occurrence of restenosis with the use of Zilast over the standard therapy after coronary stenting.

Q. Can I take Zilast with ticagrelor?
Zilast and ticagrelor, when used together, can increase the effects of each other by inhibiting clotting of blood and increasing the risk of bleeding. Avoid taking them together or you should be monitored very closely by your doctor.

Q. Is Zilast useful for the treatment of neuropathy?
Animal studies demonstrate the beneficial role of Zilast for the treatment of neuropathy. However, human studies do not show any beneficial role of Zilast in treating neuropathy.

Q. Is Zilast safe?
Zilast is safe if used at prescribed doses for the prescribed duration as advised by your doctor. However, there are some very common side effects that you can experience at therapeutic doses which include a headache, abnormal stool, and diarrhea.

Q. Can I take Zilast with clopidogrel?
Zilast, when taken with clopidogrel, is seen to improve long-term outcomes in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary angioplasty. However, there can be an increased risk of bleeding as both inhibit platelet aggregation and make blood thin. If you are taking Zilast with clopidogrel, you should be monitored very closely by your doctor.

Q. How is Zilast useful in arterial hypertension?
Zilast is not useful for arterial hypertension. It is used in the management of intermittent claudication associated with peripheral artery disease.

Q. When should I stop taking Zilast?
Do not stop Zilast unless advised by your doctor. Continue to take Zilast even if you feel better. Stop taking Zilast only if you experience easy bruising, bleeding, fever or a sore throat and immediately inform your doctor.

Q. Can I take Zilast with omeprazole?
Omeprazole can increase the level or effect of Zilast by blocking its breakdown (inhibits metabolism). Avoid using them together. An alternative medicine should be preferred.

Q. Can I use Zilast with atorvastatin?
Zilast can be taken with atorvastatin. No harmful effects or drug interactions have been seen or reported when Zilast is taken along with atorvastatin.

Q. Is Zilast useful for aspirin allergy?
Zilast can be used in place of aspirin in patients who have an allergy to a spirin.

Q. Is it advisable to take Zilast with acenocoumarol?
Zilast, when taken with acenocoumarol, can increase the risk of bleeding. So they should be used very cautiously and a regular monitoring by your doctor is advisable to decrease the risk of bleeding.

Q. Is Zilast useful for the treatment of venous insufficiency?
There is no evidence at present which recommends the use of Zilast in the routine therapy of venous insufficiency.

Q. Is Zilast useful in treating diabetes?
Zilast is not useful in lowering the blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes. However, as seen in some clinical studies, it may help in relieving the symptoms of intermittent claudication (pain, cramping, numbness, or weakness in the legs on walking) seen in some patients with diabetes.

Q. Why is Zilast contraindicated in heart failure?
Zilast can increase the patient's heart rate, affect the heart rhythm and there is clinical evidence that it can increase mortality in patients with heart failure. So, Zilast is contraindicated in these patients.

Q. Is Zilast an anticoagulant?
Zilast is not an anticoagulant. It is a vasodilator with an anti-platelet aggregatory effect. It works by preventing platelets (blood cells) from sticking together and widens the blood vessels of the legs. This increases the blood flow in the peripheries.

Q. Is Zilast a statin?
No, Zilast is not a statin. It is a vasodilator and inhibits platelet aggregation, and is useful in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease.

Q. Is Zilast a blood thinner?
No, Zilast is not a blood thinner. It is a vasodilator and inhibits platelet aggregation, and is useful in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease.

Q. Is Zilast a beta blocker?
No, Zilast is not a beta blocker. It is a vasodilator and inhibits platelet aggregation, and is useful in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease.

Q. Is Zilast a better choice for the treatment of intermittent claudication compared to pentoxifylline?
Zilast is seen to be much better than pentoxifylline for increasing walking distances in patients with intermittent claudication but is associated with increased rates of side effects like a headache, palpitations, and diarrhea.

Q. Is Zilast a controlled substance?
Zilast is not a controlled substance. It's a prescription medicine and is available on providing a valid prescription by a doctor.

Q. Is Zilast a narcotic substance?
No, Zilast is not a narcotic substance. It's a prescription medicine and is available on providing a valid prescription by a doctor.

Q. Is Zilast an anticonception medicine?
No, Zilast is not an anticonception medicine. It is a vasodilator and inhibits platelet aggregation. It is used to treat peripheral vascular disease.

Q. Is Zilast an antibiotic?
No, Zilast is not an antibiotic. It is a vasodilator and inhibits platelet aggregation. It is used to treat peripheral vascular disease.