Idarubicin (Zavedos)

Country of origin: Italy
Pharm-Group: Antitumor antibiotics

Manufacturers: Carlo Erba Farmitalia (Italy)
International name: Idarubicin
Synonyms: Zavedos, Idarubitsin
Dosage forms: lyophilized powder for the preparation of injection solution
Composition: Active substance: Idarubicin.

Indications for use: Acute myeloid leukemia, lymphoma, lung and breast cancer (additional remedy).

Contraindications: Hypersensitivity (including to other anthracyclines), impaired liver and kidney function, heart disease (myocarditis, heart failure, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction), leukopenia, thrombopenia, pregnancy, breastfeeding.

Side effect:

1. From the cardiovascular system and blood (hematopoiesis, hemostasis): cardiotoxicity (arrhythmia, heart failure, shortness of breath, swelling of the feet and ankles), myelosuppression, hemorrhages.
2. From the gastrointestinal tract: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, inflammation of the oral mucosa, esophagitis, diarrhea, increased levels of liver enzymes and bilirubin.
3. From the genitourinary system: hyperuricemia or nephropathy associated with increased formation of uric acid (pain in the joints, in the lower back or in the side).
4. Other: severe infections with possible death, fever, chills, alopecia, peeling of the skin, skin rash, headache, less often - extravasation or tissue necrosis, peripheral neuropathy, recurrence of radiation erythema (darkening or redness of the skin).

Interaction:

1. Compatible with other chemotherapeutic agents.
2. Incompatible (cannot be mixed) with heparin (precipitate is formed), with alkaline solutions (destroyed).
3. Weakens the anti-gout effectiveness of allopurinol, colchicine, sulfinpyrazone.
4. Other drugs that cause bone marrow suppression and radiation therapy potentiate bone marrow suppression.
5. With the introduction of live viral vaccines, intensification of the replication of the vaccine virus and an increase in its side effects is possible; inactivated vaccines - a decrease in the production of antiviral antibodies.

Overdose:

1. Symptoms: prolonged myelosuppression with increased gastrointestinal toxic manifestations, arrhythmia (with possible death).
2. Treatment: maintenance therapy (platelet transfusion, antibiotics, symptomatic treatment of inflammatory complications).

Special instructions:

1. Restrictions on use: Children's age, bone marrow suppression, chicken pox, herpes zoster, infectious diseases, gout or kidney stones in history.
2. During treatment, monitoring of cardiac, liver and kidney function is recommended.
3. Strict monitoring of hematological status, including granulocytes, red blood cells and platelets, is necessary.
4. Avoid getting the drug under the skin or into soft tissues.
5. If extravasation occurs, the infusion should be stopped immediately and resumed in another vein.
6. If there are any signs of a local reaction, you should inform your doctor.

Literature: Encyclopedia of Medicines, 2004.