Adempas Dosages: Your GoodRx Guide

GoodRx Health

Adempas (riociguat) is an oral medication that treats health conditions involving high blood pressure in the lungs. This includes pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Adempas works by relaxing blood vessels in the lungs, which can lower pressure and help improve blood flow.

Your Adempas dosage can depend on several factors, such as your blood pressure and other medications you take. Below, we cover some key points about typical Adempas dosages.

What's the typical Adempas dosage?

The typical Adempas starting dosage for adults is 1 mg three times a day, taken with or without food. If you have a higher risk of low blood pressure, your prescriber may have you start with 0.5 mg three times a day instead.

If your systolic blood pressure stays above 95 mmHg, your prescriber may increase your Adempas dose by 0.5 mg per dose. Dose increases usually happen at least 2 weeks apart.

You'll typically be prescribed the highest Adempas dose that you can tolerate. The maximum dosage for most people is 2.5 mg three times a day.

If you have signs of low blood pressure at any time during your treatment, your prescriber may lower your dose by 0.5 mg per dose.

What dosages of Adempas tablets are available?

Adempas is available as oral tablets, which come in the following dosages:

• 0.5 mg

• 1 mg

• 1.5 mg

• 2 mg

• 2.5 mg

Good to know: If you have trouble swallowing pills, you can crush Adempas tablets. After crushing your dose, mix it with water or soft foods (such as applesauce) and consume the mixture right away.

Are there any dosage adjustments for health conditions or medication interactions?

Some medications need dosage adjustments based on kidney or liver function. With Adempas, no dose adjustments are recommended in these cases. But if you have severe liver damage (Child-Pugh C), severe kidney damage (creatinine clearance less than 15 mL/minute), or if you're receiving dialysis, you may need to avoid taking Adempas.

Medication interactions

Some medications and substances affect how much Adempas stays in your body with each dose. This is because they block or increase the activity of certain proteins that break down Adempas.

Some medications can prevent Adempas from being broken down in the body. This can increase the risk of side effects, such as low blood pressure. If you take one of these medications, you may need a lower starting dose of 0.5 mg three times a day:

• Ketoconazole

• Itraconazole (Sporanox)

• Ritonavir (Norvir)

• Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir / ritonavir)

This is not a complete list of medications that can interact with Adempas. Tell your prescriber about all medications you take so they can make dose adjustments if needed.

Smoking can cause your body to break down Adempas faster, resulting in lower blood levels. This can make the medication less effective. If you smoke, your prescriber may have you take a dose that's higher than 2.5 mg three times a day. And if you stop smoking while taking Adempas, you may need a dose decrease.

What happens if you miss a dose of Adempas?

If you miss a dose of Adempas, you should skip the missed dose and just take your next scheduled dose. Don't take a double or extra dose to make up for a missed dose.

If you have missed several doses of Adempas, call your prescriber for further instructions. You may need to restart at a lower dose if it's been 3 days or more since your last dose.

What should you do if you take too much Adempas?

If you take an extra dose of Adempas, you might experience more side effects than usual. This can include headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Talk with your healthcare team if you accidentally take too much Adempas. They can help you manage any bothersome side effects.

Taking large amounts of Adempas can be more serious. It can cause extremely low blood pressure, which can lead to blurry vision and passing out. Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 or your prescriber right away if you think you've taken too much Adempas. If your symptoms seem severe or life-threatening, call 911 or go to the nearest ER.

How to save on Adempas

Adempas is a specialty medication, which means it's only available at certain pharmacies called specialty pharmacies. The process for getting medications from specialty pharmacies is different from picking up medications at a local pharmacy.

Your healthcare team will work with your insurance and the specialty pharmacy to help you get your medication and know what to expect. This includes figuring out your insurance coverage and eligibility for copay savings cards or patient assistance programs.

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