Asacol HD is a prescription medicine used for the short-term treatment of active ulcerative colitis. This eMedTV Web page describes the effects of the drug, explains how it works, and offers information on when and how to take it.
Common side effects of Asacol HD include abdominal pain, headache, and vomiting. This eMedTV Web page lists other possible side effects, including serious problems that require medical attention and rare but possible side effects.
Asacol HD is licensed for the short-term treatment of moderately active ulcerative colitis. This eMedTV article discusses the uses of Asacol HD in more detail (including possible off-label uses) and describes how this prescription medicine works.
The standard dose of Asacol HD for the treatment of ulcerative colitis is two tablets three times a day. As this eMedTV resource explains, this is the standard dosage for everyone, regardless of your age or weight.
Warfarin, digoxin, and thiopurine medicines may cause drug interactions with Asacol HD. This eMedTV segment describes the potential effects of these drug interactions and lists other medications that may interfere with Asacol HD.
Talk to your doctor before taking Asacol HD if you have kidney disease or pyloric stenosis. This eMedTV page lists other warnings and precautions for Asacol HD, including information on who should not use the drug.
At this time, Asacol HD is not available in generic form. As this article from the eMedTV Web site explains, the earliest predictable date that any generic versions could become available is August 2013, when the drug's patent expires.
