Benefix (Factor ix Intravenous, Injection)

Generic name: Factor Ix

Usage of Benefix (Factor ix Intravenous, Injection)

Factor IX is a protein produced naturally in the body. It helps the blood form clots to stop bleeding. Injections of factor IX are used to treat hemophilia B, which is sometimes called Christmas disease. This is a condition in which the body does not make enough factor IX. If you do not have enough factor IX and you become injured, your blood will not form clots as it should, and you may bleed into and damage your muscles and joints.

Injections of one form of factor IX, called factor IX complex, also are used to treat certain people with hemophilia A. In hemophilia A, sometimes called classical hemophilia, the body does not make enough factor VIII, and, just as in hemophilia B, the blood cannot form clots as it should. Injections of factor IX complex may be used in patients in whom the medicine used to treat hemophilia A is no longer effective. Injections of factor IX complex also may be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

The factor IX product that your doctor will give you is obtained naturally from human blood or artificially by a man-made process. Factor IX obtained from human blood has been treated and is not likely to contain harmful viruses such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C (non-A, non-B) virus, or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The man-made factor IX product does not contain these viruses.

Factor IX is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Benefix (Factor ix Intravenous, Injection) 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 immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common or rare

  • Changes in facial skin color
  • fast or irregular breathing
  • puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes
  • shortness of breath, troubled breathing, tightness in chest, and/or wheezing
  • skin rash, hives, and/or itching

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

    More common

  • Bluish coloring (especially of the hands and feet)
  • convulsions
  • dizziness or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position
  • increased heart rate
  • large blue or purplish patches in the skin (at places of injection)
  • nausea or vomiting
  • pains in chest, groin, or legs (especially calves)
  • persistent bleeding from puncture sites, gums, or inner linings of the nose and/or mouth, or blood in the stool or urine
  • severe pain or pressure in the chest and/or the neck, back, or left arm
  • severe, sudden headache
  • shortness of breath or fast breathing
  • sudden loss of coordination
  • sudden and unexplained slurred speech, vision changes, and/or weakness or numbness in arm or leg

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

    Less common

  • Burning or stinging at place of injection
  • changes in blood pressure or pulse rate
  • chills
  • drowsiness
  • fever
  • headache
  • nausea or vomiting
  • redness of face
  • shortness of breath

    • 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 Benefix (Factor ix Intravenous, Injection)

    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

    Blood clots may be especially likely to occur in premature and newborn babies, who are usually more sensitive than adults to the effects of injections of factor IX.

    Geriatric

    This medicine has been tested and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

    Breast Feeding

    Coagulation Factor IX Recombinant, GlycoPEGylatedFactor IX Fc Fusion Protein RecombinantCoagulation Factor IX RecombinantFactor IX Albumin Fusion Protein Recombinant

    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.

    Factor IX

    Studies in women suggest that this medication poses minimal risk to the infant when used during 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.

    Other Medical Problems

    The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

  • Blood clots or a history of medical problems caused by blood clots or
  • Liver disease—Risk of bleeding or developing blood clots may be increased

    • How to use Benefix (Factor ix Intravenous, Injection)

    Some medicines given by injection may sometimes be given at home to patients who do not need to be in the hospital. If you are using this medicine at home, your health care professional will teach you how to prepare and inject the medicine. You will have a chance to practice preparing and injecting it. Be sure that you understand exactly how the medicine is to be prepared and injected.

    To prepare this medicine:

  • Take the dry medicine and the liquid (diluent) out of the refrigerator and bring them to room temperature, as directed by your doctor.
  • When injecting the liquid (diluent) into the dry medicine, aim the stream of liquid (diluent) against the wall of the container of dry medicine to prevent foaming.
  • Swirl the container gently to dissolve the medicine. Do not shake the container.

    • Use this medicine right away. It should not be kept longer than 3 hours after it has been prepared.

    A plastic disposable syringe and filter needle must be used with this medicine. The medicine may stick to the inside of a glass syringe, and you may not receive a full dose.

    Do not reuse syringes and needles. Put used syringes and needles in a puncture-resistant disposable container, or dispose of them as directed by your health care professional.

    Dosing

    The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

    The amount of medicine that you take Depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

  • The condition for which you are using this medicine.
  • Your body weight.
  • The amount of factor IX your body is able to make.
  • How much, how often, and where in your body you are bleeding.
  • Whether or not your body has built up a defense (antibody) against this medicine.

    • Missed Dose

    Call your doctor or pharmacist for instructions.

    Storage

    Keep out of the reach of children.

    Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

    Some factor IX products must be stored in the refrigerator, and some may be kept at room temperature for short periods of time. Store this medicine as directed by your doctor or the manufacturer.

    Warnings

    If you were recently diagnosed with hemophilia B, you should receive hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccines to reduce even further your risk of getting hepatitis A or hepatitis B from factor IX products.

    After a while, your body may build up a defense (antibody) against this medicine. Tell your doctor if this medicine seems to be less effective than usual.

    It is recommended that you carry identification stating that you have hemophilia A or hemophilia B. If you have any questions about what kind of identification to carry, check with your health care professional.

    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.

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