Asacol HD Side Effects: An Introduction
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with
Asacol HD® (
mesalamine). However, not everyone who takes the medication will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Asacol HD. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Asacol HD side effects with you.)
Common Side Effects of Asacol HD
Asacol HD has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials. In these studies, the side effects that occurred in a group of people taking Asacol HD were documented and compared to side effects that occurred in a similar group of people taking regular-strength Asacol (a lower dosage). This way, it is possible to see what side effects occurred, how often they appeared, and how they compare to the group taking regular Asacol. In general, the side effects were similar between the two drugs.
In these studies, the most common Asacol HD side effects included:
- Headaches -- in up to 4.7 percent of people
- Nausea -- up to 2.8 percent
- Common cold symptoms -- up to 2.5 percent
- Abdominal pain (stomach pain) -- up to 2.3 percent
- Worsening of ulcerative colitis -- up to 2.3 percent.
Other common side effects of Asacol HD (occurring in 1 to 2 percent of people) included, but were not limited to:
