Rasburicase

Generic name: Rasburicase
Dosage form: intravenous powder for injection (1.5 mg; 7.5 mg)
Drug class: Antihyperuricemic agents

Usage of Rasburicase

Rasburicase is used to manage uric acid levels in adults and children receiving cancer treatment for leukemia, lymphoma, and certain tumors.

Rasburicase may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Rasburicase side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic Reaction: hives, rash; wheezing, chest pain and tightness, difficult breathing; feeling light-headed; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Tell your caregivers or call your doctor at once if you have:

pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine;

sores or white patches in or around your mouth, trouble swallowing or talking, dry mouth, bad breath, altered sense of taste;

fever, flu symptoms, rapid heart rate, rapid and shallow breathing, fainting; or

signs of a serious blood disorder--blue-colored skin or lips, headache, feeling weak or tired, trouble breathing, feeling like you might pass out, pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest.

Your treatment with rasburicase may be permanently discontinued if you have a serious allergic reaction.

Common side effects of rasburicase may include:

nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;

diarrhea, constipation;

anxiety;

headache;

abnormal liver function tests, decreased phosphate levels;

throat pain;

fever; or

swelling in your hands or feet.

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 Rasburicase

You should not receive this medicine if:

you have ever had an allergic reaction or blood cell problems after receiving rasburicase; or

you have an enzyme deficiency called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD).

If you are of African or Mediterranean descent, your doctor may perform blood tests to make sure you do not have conditions that would prevent you from safely receiving rasburicase.

Rasburicase may harm an unborn baby. Use effective birth control to prevent pregnancy, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant.

Do not breastfeed while using this medicine, and for at least 2 weeks after your last dose.

Rasburicase is not approved for use by anyone younger than 1 month old.

Relate drugs

How to use Rasburicase

Usual Adult Dose for Hyperuricemia Secondary to Chemotherapy:

0.2 mg/kg as a 30-minute IV infusion once a day for up to 5 daysComments:-Use beyond 5 days or administration of more than 1 course of therapy is not recommended-The exact duration should be based upon adequate monitoring of uric acid levels in plasma and clinical judgement.-This drug is only approved for a single course of treatment.Use: For the initial management of plasma uric acid levels in patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumor malignancies who are receiving chemotherapy expected to result in tumor lysis and subsequent elevation of plasma uric acid.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Hyperuricemia Secondary to Chemotherapy:

0.2 mg/kg as a 30-minute IV infusion once a day for up to 5 daysComments:-Use beyond 5 days or administration of more than 1 course of therapy is not recommended.-The exact duration should be based upon adequate monitoring of uric acid levels in plasma and clinical judgement.-This drug is only approved for a single course of treatment.Use: For the initial management of plasma uric acid levels in patients with leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumor malignancies who are receiving chemotherapy expected to result in tumor lysis and subsequent elevation of plasma uric acid

Warnings

You should not receive rasburicase if you have ever had an allergic reaction or blood cell problems after receiving rasburicase, or if you have a genetic enzyme deficiency called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; wheezing, chest pain and tightness, difficult breathing; feeling light-headed; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Tell your caregivers or call your doctor at once if you have signs of a serious blood disorder--blue-colored skin or lips, headache, feeling weak or tired, trouble breathing, feeling like you might pass out, pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest.

What other drugs will affect Rasburicase

Other drugs may affect rasburicase, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.

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.