Tyvaso

Tyvaso treats high blood pressure in the lungs. Tyvaso can also improve the ability to do exercise in people who also take certain medications.

Tyvaso Overview

Updated: 

Tyvaso is a prescription medication used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Tyvaso belongs to a group of drugs called vasodilators, which help to relax the blood vessels within and around the lungs. This helps increase your ability to breathe, especially during exercise. It also acts as a blood thinner, which decreases the chance of a blood clot.

This medication also comes as an inhalant that is to be used 4 times a day, at least 4 hours apart per inhalation.

Common side effects of Tyvaso inhalant include headache, nausea, and flushing. It can also cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Tyvaso affects you.

 

How was your experience with Tyvaso?

First, a little about yourself

Tell us about yourself in a few words?

What tips would you provide a friend before taking Tyvaso?

What are you taking Tyvaso for?

Choose one
  • Other
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary

How long have you been taking it?

Choose one
  • Less than a week
  • A couple weeks
  • A month or so
  • A few months
  • A year or so
  • Two years or more

How well did Tyvaso work for you?

Did you experience many side effects while taking this drug?

How likely would you be to recommend Tyvaso to a friend?

Uses of Tyvaso

Tyvaso is a prescription medication used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension. 

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Manufacturer

Tyvaso Drug Class

Tyvaso is part of the drug class:

Side Effects of Tyvaso

Serious side effects have been reported with Tyvaso.

Common side effects of Tyvaso inhalational include the following:

  • cough
  • headache
  • nausea
  • dizziness
  • flushing
  • throat irritation
  • throat pain
  • diarrhea

This is not a complete list of Tyvaso side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tyvaso Interactions

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

  • diuretics such as
    • acetazolamide (Diamox)
    • amiloride (Midamor)
    • bumetanide (Bumex)
    • chlorothiazide (Diuril)
    • chlorthalidone (Thalitone)
    • ethacrynic acid (Edecrin)
    • furosemide (Lasix)
    • hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide, HCTZ)
    • metolazone (Zaroxolyn)
    • torsemide (Demadex)
    • triamterene (Dyrenium, Dyazide, Maxzide)
  • angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) blockers such as
    • benazepril (Lotensin, Lotensin HCT)
    • captopril (Capoten, Capozide)
    • enalapril (Vasotec, Vaseretic)
    • fosinopril (Monopril, Monopril HCT)
    • lisinopril (Prinivil, Prinzide, Zestril, Zestoretic)
    • moexipril (Univasc, Uniretic)
    • quinapril (Accupril, Accuretic, Quinaretic)
    • ramipril (Altace)
    • trandolapril (Mavik, Tarka)
  • angiotensin receptor II blockers such as
    • azilsartan (Edarbi)
    • candesartan (Atacand)
    • irbesartan (Avapro)
    • losartan (Cozaar)
    • olmesartan (Benicar)
    • telmisartan (Micardis, Twynsta)
    • valsartan (Diovan)
  • beta blockers such as
    • metoprolol (Toprol XL, Lopressor)
    • carvedilol (Coreg)
    • bisoprolol (Zebeta)
    • betaxolol (Kerlone)
    • nebivolol (Bystolic)
    • propranolol (Inderal)
  • calcium channel blockers such as
  • nifedipine (Adalat, Nifedical, Procardia)
  • amlodipine (Norvasc)
  • verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Covera, Verelan)
  • diltiazem (Cardizem)
  • vasodilators such as
    • doxazosin (Cardura)
    • prazosin (Minipress)
    • terazosin (Hytrin)
    • clonidine (Catapres)
    • hydralazine (Bidil, Hydra-Zide)
    • minoxidil
  • medications that affect your platelets such as clopidogrel (Plavix), aspirin, prasugrel (Effient), ticagrelor (Brilinta), ticlopidine (Ticlid), abciximab (ReoPro), eptifibatide (Integrilin), tirofiban (Aggrastat), and cilostazol (Pletal)
  • anticoagulant (blood thinner) medications such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven), heparin, enoxaparin (Lovenox), fondaparinux (Arixtra), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), and apixaban (Eliquis) 
  • alcohol

This is not a complete list of all drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tyvaso Precautions

Serious side effects have been reported with this medication, and certain precautions should be followed:

  • This medication may increase the risk of bleeding, particularly if you are taking blood thinners. 
  • This medication can cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Tyvaso affects you.
  • Do not take this medication if you are allergic to it or to any of the inactive ingredients.

Tyvaso Food Interactions

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of this medication, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

 

Inform MD

Before taking Tyvaso, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

  • are allergic to Tyvaso or to any of the inactive ingredients
  • have liver problems
  • have kidney problems
  • have diverticulosis
  • have low blood pressure or high blood pressure
  • have had a stroke
  • have stomach ulcers
  • are pregnant or are breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

 
 

Tyvaso and Pregnancy

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

This medication falls into category B. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and had some babies born with problems. No well-controlled studies have been done in humans. Therefore, this medication may be used if the potential benefits to the mother outweigh the potential risks to the unborn child.

Tyvaso and Lactation

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if Tyvaso crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using Tyvaso.

 

Tyvaso Usage

Take exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it.

You should be properly trained on how to use Tyvaso and Inhalation System device.

To avoid potential interruptions in drug delivery because of equipment malfunction, you should have access to a back-up Tyvaso Inhalation System device. 

If a dose is missed or interrupted, therapy should be resumed as soon as possible. 

Avoid skin or eye contact with this medication. If it comes in contact with the skin or eyes, rinse immediately with water.

Tyvaso Dosage

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

  • the condition being treated
  • other medical conditions you have
  • other medications you are taking
  • how you respond to this medication
  • your weight
  • your height
  • your age
  • your gender

Take Tyvaso undiluted (do not mix with any other liquid).

Take in 4 separate treatment sessions each day approximately 4 hours apart (during waking hours).

Starting dose: 3 breaths [18 mcg] per session. If 3 breaths are not tolerated, reduce to 1 or 2 breaths.

Dose may be increased by an additional 3 breaths at about 1-2 week intervals, if tolerated.

Increase to target maintenance (long-term) dose of 9 breaths [54 mcg] per session as tolerated.

Tyvaso Overdose

If you take too much this medication, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

Other Requirements

  • Store Tyvaso ampules in the unopened foil pack between 59°F to 86°F (15°C to 30°C) until ready to use.
  • When the foil pouch is opened, ampules should be used within 7 days.
  • This medication is sensitive to light. The unopened ampules should be stored in the foil pouch.
  • After an ampule is opened and put into the medicine cup in the Tyvaso Inhalation System, this medication can be kept in the medicine cup for no more than 1 day (24 hours).
  • Tyvaso inhalational that is left in the medicine cup at the end of the day must be thrown away.
  • The Tyvaso Inhalation System can be stored in the carrying case when not in use (example: between treatment sessions or overnight). If storing between treatment sessions, ensure that the plugs are firmly in place in the dome assembly to prevent spillage of this medication.
  • Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.