Egrifta

Generic name: Tesamorelin
Drug class: Growth hormones

Usage of Egrifta

Egrifta is made with growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF).

Egrifta is used to reduce excess fat around the stomach that is caused by taking certain HIV medications. This condition is also called lipodystrophy (LYE-poe-DIS-troe-fee).

Egrifta is not a weight-loss medication and should not be used to treat obesity.

Egrifta side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Egrifta: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using Egrifta and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;

pain or stiffness in your muscles or joints;

pain in your arms or legs;

wrist pain or numbness;

numbness or tingling in your hands or fingers;

pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest;

high blood sugar (increased thirst, increased urination, hunger, dry mouth, fruity breath odor, drowsiness, dry skin, blurred vision, weight loss);

Less serious Egrifta side effects may include:

depressed mood, sleep problems (insomnia);

night sweats;

mild rash or itching;

muscle spasm;

nausea, vomiting, upset stomach;

pain, redness, itching, swelling, bruising, bleeding, or other irritation where the injection was given;

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Egrifta

You should not use Egrifta if you are allergic to Tesamorelin, or if you have:

cancer;

a pituitary gland disorder;

a history of pituitary gland tumor or surgery;

a history of head injury or radiation treatment; or

if you are pregnant.

To make sure you can safely take Egrifta, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

a history of cancer or any tumor (either benign or malignant);

heart disease, high blood pressure;

kidney disease;

diabetes, eye problems caused by diabetes;

epilepsy

asthma;

migraine headaches;

adrenal gland disorder;

if you have ever had open heart surgery; or

if you have any major illness, or a recent trauma or medical emergency.

FDA pregnancy category X. Egrifta can harm an unborn baby or cause birth defects. Do not use Egrifta if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant during treatment. Women with HIV or AIDS should not breast feed a baby. Even if your baby is born without HIV, the virus may be passed to the baby in your breast milk. Do not give Egrifta to a child without medical advice.

Relate drugs

Warnings

Egrifta can harm an unborn baby or cause birth defects. Do not use if you are pregnant. You should not use Egrifta if you are allergic to tesamorelin, or if you have a history of tumor or surgery of your pituitary gland, a history of head injury or radiation treatment.

Before using Egrifta, tell your doctor if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, migraines, an adrenal gland disorder, or if you have ever had cancer, any type of tumor, or open heart surgery.

Also tell your doctor about any major illness or recent trauma or medical emergency.

What other drugs will affect Egrifta

Tell your doctor about all other medicines you use, especially:

cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune);

Testosterone or hormone replacement therapy;

seizure medication;

steroids (prednisone and others);

This list is not complete and there are many other drugs that can interact with Egrifta. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.

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.

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