Antivenin (crotalidae) polyvalent immune fab

Generic name: Antivenin (crotalidae) Polyvalent Immune Fab (an-tye-VEN-in (kroe-TAL-i-dee) Pol-ee-VAY-lent I-MUNE Fab)
Drug class: Antitoxins and antivenins

Usage of Antivenin (crotalidae) polyvalent immune fab

Pit viper antivenin injection is used to treat the bites of certain poisonous snakes called pit vipers (crotalids), which are native to North America. This particular pit viper antivenin is made from the blood of sheep and is used to treat the bites of the following types of pit viper: the Western Diamondback, Eastern Diamondback, and Mojave rattlesnakes, and the Copperhead snake, Cottonmouth, or Water Moccasin.

This medicine is to be given only by or under the direct supervision of your doctor.

Antivenin (crotalidae) polyvalent immune fab side effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common

Bruising

cough

difficulty in moving

difficulty swallowing

dizziness

fast heartbeat

feeling of discomfort

fever

hives, itching, skin rash

joint pain or swelling

large, flat, blue or purplish patches in the skin

muscle cramps, pain, or stiffness

problems with bleeding or clotting

puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue

swollen lymph glands

tightness in the chest

unusual tiredness or weakness

Rare

Blurred vision

chest pain or discomfort

confusion

difficulty breathing

dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position

fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse

large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or genitals

noisy breathing

rapid, shallow breathing

sweating

Incidence not known

Black, tarry stools

bleeding gums

blood in the urine or stools

itching, swelling, redness, tenderness, or hard lump at the injection site

pinpoint red spots on the skin

tremor

unusual bleeding or bruising

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common

Back pain

loss of appetite

nausea

nervousness

small lumps under the skin

weight loss

Rare

Bone pain

feeling cold

headache

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

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

Before taking Antivenin (crotalidae) polyvalent immune fab

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of pit viper antivenin injection in children. Safety and efficacy have been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of pit viper antivenin injection in the elderly.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Relate drugs

How to use Antivenin (crotalidae) polyvalent immune fab

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine in a medical facility. It is given through a needle placed into one of your veins. The medicine must be given slowly, so the needle will have to remain in place for at least 60 minutes.

Your doctor will need to watch you for at least one hour after your injection to make sure the medicine is working properly and does not cause unwanted side effects.

Warnings

It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress closely while receiving this medicine to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for unwanted effects.

Check with your doctor right away if you have any unusual bleeding or bruising, black, tarry stools, blood in the urine or stools, headache, dizziness, or weakness, pain, swelling, or discomfort in a joint, pinpoint red spots on your skin, unusual nosebleeds, or unusual vaginal bleeding that is heavier than normal. These may be signs of bleeding problems.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Tell your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth after receiving this medicine.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.