Zortress

Generic name: Everolimus (Zortress)

Usage of Zortress

Zortress lowers your body's immune system. The immune system helps your body fight infections. The immune system can also fight or "reject" a transplanted organ such as a liver or kidney. This is because the immune system treats the new organ as an invader.

The Zortress brand of everolimus is used to prevent organ rejection after a kidney or liver transplant. Zortress is used together with cyclosporine, steroids, and other medications.

Afinitor is another brand of everolimus used to treat certain types of cancer. This medication guide provides information only about about Zortress.

Zortress side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Zortress: hives, itching, skin pain; difficult breathing; swelling in your hands, face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Serious and sometimes fatal infections may occur during treatment with everolimus. Stop using this medicine and call your doctor right away if you have signs of infection such as: fever, chills, swollen glands, or flu symptoms.

Zortress can cause a blood clot in the blood vessels of your transplanted organ, especially within 30 days after transplant. Tell your doctor right away if you have: fever with nausea or vomiting, blood in your urine, dark colored urine, little or no urination, or pain in your stomach, groin, lower back, or side.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

new or worsening cough, wheezing, breathing problems;

redness, warmth, swelling, oozing, or slow healing of a wound or surgical incision;

easy bruising, unusual bleeding;

high blood sugar - increased thirst, increased urination, dry mouth, fruity breath odor, headache, blurred vision; or

low red blood cells (anemia) - pale skin, unusual tiredness, feeling light-headed or short of breath, cold hands and feet.

Common Zortress side effects may include:

swelling in your legs, ankles, or feet;

anemia, infections;

urination problems;

high blood pressure, increased cholesterol or triglycerides;

stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, constipation; or

headache.

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 Zortress

You should not use Zortress if you are allergic to everolimus or sirolimus.

Using Zortress can increase your risk of serious infections or getting certain cancers, such as lymphoma or skin cancer. Ask your doctor about your specific risk.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

problems digesting lactose or galactose (sugar);

high cholesterol or triglycerides;

liver disease;

a heart transplant; or

skin cancer in you or a family member.

Zortress may harm an unborn baby. Use effective birth control while you are using this medicine and for at least 8 weeks after your last dose. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant.

This medicine may affect fertility (ability to have children) in both men and women. However, it is important for women to use birth control because everolimus may harm the baby if a pregnancy does occur.

It is not known whether everolimus passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while you are taking Zortress.

How to use Zortress

Zortress is usually taken twice daily (every 12 hours). Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

Take this medicine at evenly spaced times with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.

Take the medicine with or without food, but the same way each time. If you also take cyclosporine or tacrolimus, take both medications at the same time.

Do not crush or chew a Zortress tablet. Swallow the tablet whole.

You will need frequent medical tests.

Do not change doses or stop taking any of your medications without asking your doctor.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

Warnings

Zortress may increase your risk of infection or certain cancer by changing the way your immune system works.

Serious and sometimes fatal infections may occur during treatment with everolimus. Call your doctor right away if you have signs of infection such as fever or chills.

Zortress can cause a blood clot in the vessels of your transplanted organ. Tell your doctor right away if you have: fever with nausea or vomiting, blood in your urine, dark colored urine, little or no urination, or pain in your stomach, groin, lower back, or side.

What other drugs will affect Zortress

Many drugs can interact with everolimus. Not all possible interactions are listed here. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using, especially:

cyclosporine or others medicine to prevent organ transplant rejection;

St. John's wort;

an antibiotic or antifungal medicine;

cholesterol medication;

heart or blood pressure medicine;

HIV medication;

seizure medicine; or

tuberculosis medication.

This list is not complete and many other drugs can interact with everolimus. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

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.