Remicade

infliximab

Description

Remicade (Infliximab) is classified as a monoclonal antibody. It is used as a second line treatment for Crohn’s disease in patients that have shown resistance to other forms of medication or patients with the disease that has formed fistulas. It is also used in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (arthritis that affects spinal joints) as well as rheumatoid arthritis. It also treats psoriatic arthritis (arthritis causing scaly skin patches in areas of the body as well as swelling and pains in the joints. In addition, Infliximab is used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Remicade is a prescription drug that is available in form of injection.

Precautions when using Remicade

Any medications risks must be weighed against its benefits before it is consumed. The same goes for Remicade and you and your physician should consider the following;

Allergies; you should inform your doctor about any allergies or unusual reaction to rodents (e.g. mice and rats) or Remicade that you have ever had. Infliximab contains mouse cells in its preparation. In addition, inform your doctor of any other allergies such as allergy to preservatives, dyes or foods.

Pregnancy; any harmful effects of Remicade on the foetus is not know since there are no studies for the same that have been conducted on both humans and animals. Your doctor should know whether you are pregnant or planning to conceive before you take this medicine.

Breast feeding; whether or not Remicade can pass into breast milk is unknown. You may be required to desist from breast feeding when taking this medication in order to prevent any possible harmful effects on your nursing baby. It is important to discuss the benefits and risks with your doctor.

Children; there is no specific information that compares the effects of Remicade on children to the other age groups since the studies on the same have only been conducted on the adult patients.

Elderly people; many drugs have not been studied for effects on the elderly people. Thus it is unknown if the effects of the drug are the same in the older people as they are on the young adults. It is however a fact that the elderly people are likelier to suffer more infections than the younger adults, but whether Infliximab may increase the number of such infections is not known.

Other medication; some medicines may be consumed together even at the risk of interaction, while others should never be taken together. If they are to be taken together, your doctor must take adequate precautions or change the dose. It is especially important for people taking Remicade to inform their doctors if they are taking;

• Medicine to keep the body from rejecting organ transplants (immunosuppressant therapy) since this may increase the risk of contracting infections or a blood cancer type known as lymphoma.
• Anakinra like Kineret. If Remicade is consumed together with this medication, there may be serious infections.

Additional medical problems; the effects of Remicade may be affected by additional medical problems present in the body. You should inform your doctor if you suffer from any of the following;

• History of cancer- people that have histories of cancer are at a greater risk of contracting a blood cancer type known as lymphoma.
• Any cases of blood problems both in the past or at present. Caution must be taken.
• Heart disease- for the people that suffer from congestive heart failure, which is a type of disease of the heart, the drug is normally not recommended.
• Inactive infections of tuberculosis- the tuberculosis must first be treated before you begin using Infliximab therapeutically.
• Infections- the use of Infliximab is highly discouraged for people with active infections. In case you suffer a recurring infection or a chronic infection, you should use plenty of caution.
• Hepatitis B- in case you have any history of hepatitis B, then the use of Infliximab could reactivate your hepatitis B
• Seizures- use caution in this case. In the event that CNS reactions develop, then your physician should consider the discontinuation of the medication.
• Problems of the nervous system

Using Remicade properly

Dosage; a patient information sheet is provided before each treatment. Every time you go for treatment using Remicade, you should read the sheet carefully.

Doses of Remicade given differ for each patient. They are issued by nurses or doctors. An average dose of the drug is related to the information below.

For treating ankylosing, Crohn’s disease. Spondylitis, ulcerative colitis or psoriatic arthritis;

• Children; dose and use as determined by your physician or doctor
• Adults; 5mg per kg of the total body weight, injected directly into the vein.

For treating rheumatoid arthritis;

• Adults; 1.36 milligrams per pound or 3mg per kg of body weight
• Children; dose and use as directed by your doctor.

Storage

In storing this medication;

• Keep away from direct sunlight and heat
• Store beyond the reach of children
• Keep in away from damp areas such as the kitchen sink or the bathroom since moisture or heat can cause breakdown of the medicine.
• You may place it in a refrigerator but do not allow it to freeze
• Expired medicine or unneeded ones should not be kept. They should be disposed of where children cannot find them.

Precautions for Remicade

The drug may result in fever, chest pains, chills, hives, itching, trouble in breathing or flushed faces within a few hours of consuming the drug. If any of these symptoms show, inform your nurse or doctor immediately.

Symptoms of yellow eyes, liver problems, dark brown urine, severe tiredness, fever or abdominal pain on the right side should be reported to your doctor immediately they show.

A tuberculin test is important and should be taken to make sure there is no inactive infection of tuberculosis, as this may worsen when you take Infliximab.

Your heart should be checked closely while on Infliximab in case you already have a heart disease as it may worsen as you take the drug.

Prior to every treatment of Infliximab, your physician will screen you for any infections that are active. You should inform your physician if you have any infection such as a cold.

Side effects of Remicade

Medicines may cause unwelcome effects along with the beneficial effects. When these side effects occur, they should be attended to by your doctor, even though the chances of all of them occurring are very slight.

More common side effects:

• Chills; chest pains; flushed face; fever; breathing problems; itching; hives.

In the event of any of the following side effects, inform your doctor immediately.

• Cough; abdominal pains; headache; nasal congestion; fainting; dizziness; running nose; nausea; short breath; sore throat; sneezing; tightened chest; wheezing, unusual tiredness; vomiting.

Less common side effects:

• Cloudy or bloody urine, back pains; diarrhea; cracks at the corners of the mouth or the skin; painful or difficult urination; high blood pressure; frequent urination; soreness of the tongue or mouth; vaginal itching and discharge; vaginal burning; redness and soreness around the toenails and fingernails; white patches on the tongue or the mouth.

Additional information

In most cases, the continued use of some medications often reveals other uses of the same. Remicade is used by patients who suffer from the following conditions even though these uses are not indicated in the labeling of the product

• Reactive arthritis
• Arthritis that causes inflammatory bowels
• Psoriasis

There is no additional information that relates to the side effects, precautions and proper use of Infliximab apart from the information above.