{"id":13948,"date":"2021-09-23T06:51:15","date_gmt":"2021-09-23T06:51:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/?p=13948"},"modified":"2021-11-02T10:34:53","modified_gmt":"2021-11-02T10:34:53","slug":"hydrea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/medicines\/hydrea\/","title":{"rendered":"Hydrea &#8211; Hydroxycarbamide uses, dose and side effects"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>500 mg&nbsp;hard&nbsp;hydroxycarbamide&nbsp;capsules<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. What Hydrea is and what it is used for<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hydrea is a&nbsp;cytostatic,&nbsp;that is, drug that reduces cell division in rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells.&nbsp;This causes the cells to die.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hydrea is used for&nbsp;chronic&nbsp;leukemia&nbsp;(blood cancer) and certain other types of blood diseases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hydroxycarbamide contained in Hydrea may also be approved for the treatment of other conditions not mentioned in this product information.&nbsp;Ask your doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional if you have any further questions, and always follow their instructions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. What you need to know before you take Hydrea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do not take Hydrea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>if you are allergic to hydroxycarbamide or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Warnings and cautions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Talk to your doctor before taking Hydrea<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>if you have impaired kidney function<\/li><li>if you have impaired liver function<\/li><li>if you have impaired bone marrow function (determined using blood tests)<\/li><li>if you are older.&nbsp;Lower&nbsp;dose&nbsp;er may be required.<\/li><li>if you intend to be vaccinated<\/li><li>if you have previously received radiation therapy<\/li><li>if you are currently receiving or have recently received&nbsp;interferon therapy&nbsp;.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Secondary&nbsp;leukemia&nbsp;and skin cancer have been reported in patients receiving long-term treatment with hydroxycarbamide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You must protect the skin from sunlight and examine the skin yourself regularly during the treatment and after the treatment with Hydrea has ended.&nbsp;Your doctor will also examine your skin in connection with recurring follow-up visits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cases of low&nbsp;red blood cell count, because the&nbsp;blood cells&nbsp;are destroyed faster than they are replaced (&nbsp;haemolytic anemia&nbsp;), have been reported in patients treated with Hydrea.&nbsp;This will be checked by blood tests if you develop persistent&nbsp;anemia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Treatment with Hydrea can in some cases mask <a href=\"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/medicines\/triobe\/\">folic acid<\/a> deficiency and therefore your doctor may recommend regular check-ups of your folic acid levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important to drink plenty of fluids during treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Children and young people<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The safety and efficacy of Hydrea in children have not been established.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other medicines and Hydrea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have recently taken or might take any other medicines.&nbsp;The treatment effect may be affected if this medicine is taken at the same time as certain other medicines.&nbsp;The treating physician, therefore, needs to be aware of such concomitant medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Concomitant use of Hydrea with other drugs that affect&nbsp;the bone marrow&nbsp;(eg&nbsp;chemotherapy&nbsp;) or radiation therapy may increase the risk of certain&nbsp;side effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Concomitant use of Hydrea and live vaccines is not recommended as it may increase the&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;of the vaccine and increase the risk of serious&nbsp;infection&nbsp;as the body&#8217;s normal defense mechanisms may be impaired by treatment with Hydrea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hydrea can increase the concentration of&nbsp;uric acid&nbsp;in the blood.&nbsp;Dose&nbsp;one of the drugs used against high levels of&nbsp;uric acid, e.g.&nbsp;allopurinol, may therefore need to be changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In patients treated with Hydrea in combination with&nbsp;HIV&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;infection&nbsp;(didanosine, stavudine),&nbsp;inflammation&nbsp;of the pancreas and liver damage (in some cases, these&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;have led to death), as well as nerve effects in the hands and feet (&nbsp;peripheral&nbsp;neuropathy&nbsp;),.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pregnancy, breastfeeding and fertility<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should avoid becoming pregnant while being treated with Hydrea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Risk of fetal harm.&nbsp;Hydrea should not be used during pregnancy except on strict&nbsp;prescription&nbsp;by a doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to the risk of serious&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;in the baby, Hydrea should not be used during breastfeeding.&nbsp;If your doctor thinks that treatment is necessary, you should stop breastfeeding during treatment with Hydrea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Men<\/em><br>Sperm production can be affected.&nbsp;Before treatment, the possibility of preserving semen should be considered.&nbsp;Hydroxycarbamide can be harmful to&nbsp;DNA, the genetic material in the cells.&nbsp;It is recommended that you use a safe method of contraception during treatment and for at least one year after stopping treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Driving and using machines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You are responsible for assessing whether you are fit to drive a motor vehicle or perform work that requires sharpened attention.&nbsp;One of the factors that can affect your ability in these respects is the use of drugs due to their effects and\/or&nbsp;side effects.&nbsp;Descriptions of these effects and&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;can be found in other sections.&nbsp;Read all the information in this leaflet for guidance.&nbsp;If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hydrea contains lactose and sodium<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This medicine contains&nbsp;lactose.&nbsp;If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This medicine contains 11.67 mg&nbsp;sodium&nbsp;(the main ingredient in table salt\/table salt) per capsule.&nbsp;This corresponds to 0.6% of the maximum recommended daily&nbsp;sodium&nbsp;intake&nbsp;for adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. How to take Hydrea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you.&nbsp;Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure.&nbsp;Dose&nbsp;one is determined by the doctor, who adjusts it individually for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The capsules are swallowed whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Hydrea capsules should be handled with care.&nbsp;Keep Hydrea away from children and pets.&nbsp;The following measures prevent exposure:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Wash hands with soap and water after each handling of the product or wear protective gloves.<\/li><li>If the capsule breaks or dissolves, wash hands thoroughly with water.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you take more Hydrea than you should<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have ingested too much medicine or if e.g.&nbsp;If a child has ingested the medicine by mistake, contact a doctor, hospital, or the Poison Information Center for risk assessment and advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">If you forget to take Hydrea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not take a double&nbsp;dose&nbsp;to make up for a forgotten&nbsp;dose.&nbsp;Contact your doctor if you forget to take a&nbsp;dose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Possible side effects<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Like all medicines, this medicine can cause&nbsp;side effects, although not everybody gets them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Contact a doctor immediately if you experience the following symptoms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Severe&nbsp;infection<\/li><li>Fatigue and \/ or pallor<\/li><li>Unexplained bruising or bleeding<br>These symptoms may be signs of decreased activity in the blood-forming organs, a very common&nbsp;side effect&nbsp;(may affect more than 1 user in 10).<\/li><li>Difficulty breathingThis may be a sign of lung effects, a common&nbsp;side effect&nbsp;(may&nbsp;affect&nbsp;up to 1 in 10 people).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Sores on the skinThese symptoms may be signs of&nbsp;inflammation&nbsp;of the blood vessels of the skin, a very common&nbsp;side effect&nbsp;(may affect more than 1 user in 10).<\/li><li>Drug-induced feverHigh fever with or without concomitant symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, skeleton and muscles, liver and bile, skin or heart and&nbsp;vessels&nbsp;have been reported with the use of the drug.&nbsp;These may occur several weeks after starting to use the medicine.&nbsp;Has been reported (occurs in an unknown number of users).<\/li><li>Fever, cough or difficulty breathingThese can be signs of serious lung disease.&nbsp;Has been reported (occurs in an unknown number of users).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Other&nbsp;side effects&nbsp;that may occur:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Very common (may affect more than 1 user in 10)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>anemia<\/li><li>loss of appetite<\/li><li>inflammation&nbsp;of the pancreas (sometimes fatal)<\/li><li>nausea and vomiting<\/li><li>diarrhea<\/li><li>inflammation&nbsp;of the oral mucosa<\/li><li>constipation<\/li><li>irritation of the stomach and \/ or digestive tract<\/li><li>skin rashes, including rashes in the form of spots and blemishes and raised rashes<\/li><li>hair loss<\/li><li>inflammation&nbsp;of the skin, subcutaneous tissue and adjacent muscles<\/li><li>reddening of the face or arms and legs \/ hands and feet<\/li><li>exfoliating skin<\/li><li>pigment spots<\/li><li>skin and nail loss<\/li><li>increased amount of&nbsp;uric acid<\/li><li>increased amount of&nbsp;urea&nbsp;in the blood<\/li><li>increased amount of&nbsp;creatinine&nbsp;in the blood<\/li><li>urination difficulties<\/li><li>ceased or reduced sperm production<\/li><li>fever<\/li><li>chills<\/li><li>impotence<\/li><li>feeling sick<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>skin cancer<\/li><li>disorientation<\/li><li>hallucinations<\/li><li>seizures<\/li><li>dizziness<\/li><li>headache<\/li><li>nerve impact in hands and feet<\/li><li>drowsiness<\/li><li>increased amount of liver enzymes in the blood<\/li><li>impaired bile flow<\/li><li>liver inflammation (&nbsp;hepatitis&nbsp;)<\/li><li>liver damage (sometimes fatal).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>abnormal blood levels caused by residual products of the disintegrating&nbsp;tumor&nbsp;and which can lead to changes in heart rhythm and impaired kidney function (tumor lysis syndrome)<\/li><li>local tissue death as a result of&nbsp;inflammation&nbsp;of the blood vessels of the skin with concomitant ulcers (usually associated with concomitant or previous treatment with&nbsp;interferon&nbsp;).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Has been reported (occurs in an unknown number of users)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>pigmented&nbsp;(colored) nails<\/li><li>inflammation&nbsp;of the skin which causes red, scaly spots and which can occur simultaneously with pain in the joints<\/li><li>low number of&nbsp;red blood cells&nbsp;due to their destruction faster than they are replaced (&nbsp;hemolytic anemia&nbsp;).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Reporting of side effects<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse.&nbsp;This also applies to any side effects not mentioned in this information.&nbsp;You can also report side effects directly to the Medical Products Agency.&nbsp;By reporting side effects, you can help increase drug safety information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. How to store Hydrea<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not store above 25 \u00b0 C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the label after EXP.&nbsp;The expiration date is the last day of the specified month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste.&nbsp;Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required.&nbsp;These measures will help to protect the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Contents of the packaging and other information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Content declaration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The active substance is hydroxycarbamide.&nbsp;One capsule contains 500 mg of hydroxycarbamide.<\/li><li>The other ingredients are&nbsp;lactose monohydrate&nbsp;42.2 mg, anhydrous disodium phosphate, anhydrous citric acid, magnesium stearate, gelatin, erythrosine (E127), indigo carmine (E132), titanium dioxide (E171) and yellow iron oxide (E172).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What the medicine looks like and contents of the pack<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hydrea 500 mg hard capsules are two-part opaque gelatin capsules with a pink base and a green top.&nbsp;The capsules are marked with &#8220;BMS 303&#8221; in black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pack size: 100 capsules in a glass jar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Marketing Authorisation Holder<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bristol-Myers Squibb AB<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Box 1172<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>171 23 Solna<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>Manufacturer<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Corden Pharma Latina SpA<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Via del Murillo Km 2,800<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>IT 04013 Sermoneta<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Latina, Italy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hydrea is a cytostatic, that is, drug that reduces cell division in rapidly dividing cells, such as cancer cells. This causes the cells to die.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2200,2208],"tags":[13592,13516,13588,13591,13593,13512,13515,13517,13590,13514,13589,13513],"class_list":["post-13948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-medicines","category-h","tag-benefits-of-hydrea","tag-benefits-of-hydroxycarbamide","tag-hydrea","tag-hydrea-capsule","tag-hydrea-side-effects","tag-hydroxycarbamide","tag-hydroxycarbamide-capsule","tag-hydroxycarbamide-side-effects","tag-what-hydrea-is-used-for","tag-what-hydroxycarbamide-is-used-for","tag-what-is-hydrea","tag-what-is-hydroxycarbamide"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13948","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13948"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13948\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15225,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13948\/revisions\/15225"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/zeepedia.com\/medical\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}