Etanercept: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use

What Drug Etanercept?

What is Etanercept used for?

Etanercept is a drug used to treat several types of arthritis, as well as a skin condition called psoriasis. Both are autoimmune diseases, aka conditions caused by an overactive immune system that attacks healthy cells, causing inflammation of the joints and skin.

The way etanercept works is to control your body's defense response, by inhibiting the body's natural compounds that are part of the immune system's response.

Etanercept can reduce redness, itching and scaling in psoriasis as well as pain, swelling and joint stiffness in arthritis. This drug can stop the progression of disease and joint damage, so that you can carry out normal daily activities.

These drugs can relieve symptoms, but cannot cure the autoimmune disease. Symptoms usually return within 1 month when drug use is stopped.

What are the rules for using Etanercept?

Etanercept is injected under the skin of the thigh, stomach, or upper arm, usually once or twice a week exactly as prescribed by your doctor.

Your dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment. Do not change the dose without first consulting your doctor. Use this remedy regularly to get its benefits. You can see improvement in 1 to 2 weeks. Duration of use may take up to 3 months to receive the full benefits of this medication.

If you are going to be injecting this medicine yourself, your doctor may want you to have the first injection in a medical office. Make sure you learn the proper way to inject this medicine from your healthcare professional, as described in the patient information leaflet from the manufacturer.

If you take the medicine out of the refrigerator, let it warm to room temperature before injecting. This should take about 15 to 30 minutes. Do not shake the product packaging. Before use, check this product carefully for particles or discoloration in the liquid. If both of these appear, do not use this drug.

Before injecting each dose, clean the injection site with alcohol. It is important to change the injection site location each time you use this medicine to prevent problems under the skin. The new injection must be given at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the area that was previously injected. Do not inject into areas of skin that are sore, bruised, red, or hard.

Learn how to safely store and dispose of needles and medical supplies. Consult your pharmacist. Never reuse syringes.

Tell your doctor if your condition doesn't get better or gets worse.

Follow the rules given by your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How do I store Etanercept?

This medication is best stored at room temperature, away from direct light and damp places. Don't keep it in the bathroom. Don't freeze it. Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules. Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or down the drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company about how to safely dispose of your product.

Etanercept dosage

What should be considered before using Etanercept?

Before using Etanercept,

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to etanercept or any other drugs. If you are going to be using a prefilled syringe or automatic injection device, tell your doctor if you or the person who is injecting the medicine for you, if you are allergic to rubber or latex.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist about prescription and nonprescription drugs, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products that you are using or will be using. Be sure to mention the drugs listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, medications for diabetes, and cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan). Your doctor may need to change the dose of your medication or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had a seizure. diseases that affect your nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis (MS; loss of coordination, weakness, and numbness due to nerve damage); transverse myelitis (inflammation of the spinal cord which can cause abnormal sensations, loss of sensation, or loss of ability to move the lower body); optic neuritis (inflammation of the nerve that sends messages from the eye to the brain); bleeding problems; liver disease, or heart failure.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while using etanercept, contact your doctor. If you are taking etanercept injection during your pregnancy, be sure to consult your baby's doctor about taking etanercept after your baby is born. Your baby may need to receive certain vaccinations
• If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about using etanercept.
• Do not vaccinate during your treatment with etanercept without talking to your doctor. If your child will be treated with etanercept injection, talk to their doctor about the vaccinations to be given before starting treatment. If possible, your child should be given all necessary vaccinations for children his / her age before starting treatment.
• If you get chickenpox while using etanercept, contact your doctor immediately.

Is Etanercept safe for pregnant and lactating women?

Animal studies have shown that there is no evidence of harm to the fetus when etanercept is used by pregnant women. However, always consult your doctor before you use any medicine during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Etanercept side effects

What are the possible side effects of Etanercept?

Common side effects of etanercept include:

• Mild nausea, vomiting, mild diarrhea, mild abdominal pain
• Runny or stuffy nose, flu symptoms
• Headache

Stop using etanercept and call your doctor right away if you have lymphoma symptoms such as:

• Fever, night sweats, weight loss, fatigue
• Feelings of fullness after eating only a small amount
• Pain in your upper abdomen that can spread to your shoulder
• Easy bruising or bleeding, pale skin, feeling dizzy or short of breath, fast heart rate
• Nausea, upper stomach pain, hives, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)

Stop using etanercept and call your doctor if you have any of the other serious side effects:

• Signs of infection (fever, chills, sore throat, body aches, confusion, stiff neck, flu symptoms)
• Shortness of breath with swelling, rapid weight gain
• Chest pain, persistent cough, coughing up mucus or blood
• Signs of a skin infection such as itching, swelling, warmth, redness, or oozing
• Black, bloody stool
• Changes in mood or personality (in children)
• Numbness, burning, pain, or tingling feeling
• Joint pain or swelling with fever, swollen glands, muscle aches, chest pain, unusual experiences or behaviors, and / or seizures (convulsions)
• Uneven skin tone, red spots, or a butterfly-shaped skin rash on the cheeks and nose (worsens in the sun)

Not everyone experiences the above side effects. There may be some side effects not listed above. If you have concerns about certain side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Etanercept Drug Warnings and Cautions

What drugs can interfere with the drug Etanercept?

Although certain drugs should not be used at the same time, in other cases two different drugs can be used together even if interactions are possible. In this case, your doctor may be able to change the dose, or take other precautions that may be needed. When you are using this medicine it is very important that your healthcare professional knows if you are currently taking any of the medicines that are listed below. The following interactions are selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all inclusive.

Using this medication with any of the following medicines is not usually recommended, but may be necessary in some cases. If the two drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or adjust how often you use one or both drugs.

• Abatacept
• Adenovirus Vaccine Type 4, Live
• Adenovirus Vaccine Type 7, Live
• Bacillus Calmette and Guerin Vaccines, Live
• Cyclophosphamide
• Influenza Virus Vaccine, Live
• Measles Virus Vaccine, Live
• Mumps Virus Vaccine, Live
• Poliovirus Vaccine, Live
• Rilonacept
• Rotavirus Vaccine, Live
• Rubella Virus Vaccine, Live
• Smallpox vaccine
• Typhoid Vaccine
• Tratuzumah
• Varicella Virus Vaccine
• Yellow Fever Vaccine

Can certain foods and drinks interfere with the work of the drug Etanercept?

Certain drugs should not be used with meals or when eating certain foods because drug interactions can occur. Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur. Discuss your use of drugs with food, alcohol, or tobacco with your health care provider.

What health conditions can interfere with the performance of the drug Etanercept?

The presence of other health problems in your body may affect the use of this drug. Tell your doctor if you have other health problems, such as:

• Alcoholic hepatitis, moderate to severe
• Blood or bone marrow problems (eg, aplastic anemia, low white blood cells), history
• Congestive heart failure, history
• Nervous system problems (eg, Guillain-Barré syndrome, multiple sclerosis, demyelinating disease)
• Optic neuritis (inflammation of the nerves in the eye) or
• Psoriasis (skin disease)
• Seizures, history - Use with caution. It might make things worse.
• Cancer, history of cancer
• Diabetes
• Immune system disease, history
• Infection (eg hepatitis B, bacterial, fungal, viral), active or historical
• Tuberculosis, active or history
• Wegener's granulomatosis (inflammation of blood vessels affecting the lungs, kidneys, or other organs) - Patients with this condition may have the opportunity to increase side effects
• Sepsis (serious blood infection) - not recommended for use in patients with this condition

Etanercept Drug Interactions

The information provided is not a substitute for a doctor's prescription. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the dose of etanercept for adults?

Etanercept dosage for ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis

25 mg subcutaneously twice a week, 3-4 days apart. Alternatively, 50 mg subcutaneous dose can be given once a week on the same day.

Etanercept dosage for psoriasis

Initial: 50 mg subcutaneously twice weekly (given 3-4 days apart) for 3 months. Or, start at a dose of 25-50 mg per week.

Maintenance: 50 mg subcutaneously once a week.

What is the dose of etanercept for children?

• Etanercept dosage for children with uveitis: 3 years or older: 0.4 mg / kg / dose (up to a maximum of 25 mg) subcutaneously, twice weekly.
• Etanercept dosage for children with histiocytosis: age 5 months or older: 0.4 mg / kg subcutaneously three times a week.
• Etanercept dosage for children with sindrom macrophage activation : 7 years or older: 0.4 mg / kg / subcutaneous dose twice weekly, for 11 weeks.
• Etanercept dosage for children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis:4 years or older: 0.8 mg / kg / week (for a maximum of 50 mg per week) subcutaneously.

In what dosages and preparations is etanercept available?

• Kit, subcutaneous: 25 mg
• Solution, subcutaneous: 25 mg / 0.5 mL, 50 mg / mL

What to do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (119) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.

What should I do if I forget to take medicine?

If you forget a dose of this medicine, use it as soon as possible. However, when it is nearing the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to the usual dosing schedule. Don't double the dose.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical consultation, diagnosis or treatment.