Sorting Through the Symptomsof Sjgren’s Syndrome (NAPSA)—What if you were suffering from a disease that caused symptoms, including fatigue, chronic dry eyes and mouth, but you were told that it was just a part of getting older? For some women suffering from Sjgren’s syndrome, that’s exactly what happens. Sjgren’s syndromeis a chronic autoimmune disease affecting up to 4 million Americans, 90 percent of whom are women, with average age of onset being 40-50 years. Its symptoms are often considered “minor” or “vague,” making diagnosis difficult. According to a recent survey among membersof the Sjgren’s Syndrome Foundation, the average time between the onset of first symptoms and diagnosis is 6.5 years. Although once thought to be rare, current data suggests Sjgren’s syndromeis one of the most common autoimmunediseases. In fact, it may be more prevalent in the United States than rheumatoid arthritis (2.1 million), lupus (1.5 million) and multiple sclerosis (400,000). Despite its prevalence, Sjgren’s syndrome remains widely unknown. In fact, another survey uncovered that only 16 percent of women had ever heard of the disease. Like all autoimmunediseases, there is no cure for Sjgren’s syn- drome. However, there are ways to manage the symptomsof the disease. Chewing sugar-free gum and drinking water can provide tempo- rary relief from dry mouth symptoms. There are also prescription products approved by the FDA to treat dry mouth symptomsof Sjgren’s syndrome. One example, Evoxac (cevimeline HCl), is an FDA-approved product that has been proveneffective in treating the dry mouth symptoms of Sjgren’s syndrome. It is important that people suffering from Sjgren’s syndrome continue to work with their doctors to manage their disease. For more information, visit www.mydrymouth.com. Note to Editor: Safety Considerations You should not take Evoxac if you have uncontrolled asthma, eye inflammation, narrow-angle (angle-closure) glaucomaorallergies to Evoxac. Before taking Evoxac, tell your doctor if you have a heart condition, controlled asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, a history of kidney disease or 2 gallstones, or if you are taking any heart medications, especially “beta-blockers. Ifyou have anyof these conditions, your doctor will monitor you under close medical supervision while you are taking Evoxac. You should be careful when driving at night or performing hazardous activities in reduced lighting while taking Evoxac. If you sweat excessively while taking Evoxac, you may become dehydrated. To prevent this, drink extra water and talk to your doctor. The most common side effects are excessive sweating, headache, nausea, sinusitis, upper respiratory infections, rhinitis and diarrhea. Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking prescription or over-thecounter medications to avoid any possible drug interactions. The safety and effectiveness of Evoxac in patients under 18 years of age have not been established. Special care should be taken ifyou are elderly. Please see the Patient Information sheet and talk to your doctor. For more information, please visit www.evoxac.com or www.datichisankyo-us.com. Please see full prescribing information.
