Urso Forte

Urso Forte is a prescription medication used in the treatment of biliary cirrhosis, an autoimmune disease that affects the bile ducts in the liver.

Urso Forte is a bile acid, a natural substance produced by the liver. It helps to decrease the formation of gallstones by dissolving the cholesterol necessary to make gallstones and suppressing production of cholesterol in the liver and absorption in the intestines.

Urso Forte comes in oral tablet form. It is taken 2 to 4 times daily, with food.

Common side effects include stomach pain, diarrhea, and nausea. 

Urso Forte is a prescription medication used to treat primary biliary cirrhosis.

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

• Forest Laboratories, Inc.

Common side effects include:

• diarrhea
• constipation
• upset stomach
• stomach pain
• nausea
• hair loss
• itching
• rash
• dizziness
• vomiting
• cough
• muscle and joint pain

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

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

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:

• antacids containing aluminum such as Amphojel, Gaviscon, Maalox, and Mylanta
• cholestryramine (Questran)
• clofibrate (Atromid-S)
• colestipol (Colestid)
• medications that lower cholesterol levels
• medications that contain estrogen, including birth control pills

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

Serious side effects have been reported with Urso Forte including the following:

• frequent urination or pain when you urinate
• cough with fever

Urso Forte can cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Urso Forte affects you.

Do not take Urso Forte if you are allergic to Urso Forte or to any of its ingredients.

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

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

• are allergic to Urso Forte or to any of its ingredients
• have or have had diseases of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, or bile duct
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

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

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.

Urso Forte falls into category B. There are no well-done studies that have been done in humans with Urso Forte. In animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication and the babies did not show any medical issues related to this medication.

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

It is not known if Urso Forte crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk, caution should be exercised when Urso Forte is administered to a nursing mother.

Take Urso Forte exactly as prescribed.

Urso Forte comes in oral tablet form and is taken 2 to 4 times a day.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of Urso Forte at the same time.

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
• your weight

The recommended dosage of Urso Forte for the treatment of biliary cirrhosis is 13-15 mg/kg/day divided in 2 or 4 doses. 

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

If Urso Forte is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose if suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Store Urso Forte at room temperature.
• Keep this and all medications out of the reach of children.