Drotrecogin Alfa (Systemic)

Brand Names : Xigris

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For drotrecogin alfa, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to drotrecogin alfa. Also tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in either humans or animals.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether drotrecogin alfa passes into human breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information on the safety and effectiveness of drotrecogin alfa in children.

Older adults - This medicine has been tested and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose of the other medicine, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking drotrecogin alfa it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Aspirin or
• Clot-dissolving drugs (alteplase [e.g., Activase], streptokinase [e.g., Streptase], urokinase [e.g., Abbokinase]), or
• Heparin or
• Medicines that prevent blood clots from forming (abciximab [e.g., ReoPro], enoxaparin [e.g., Lovenox], warfarin [e.g., Coumadin]) or
• Medicines that prevent platelets from sticking together (clopidogrel [e.g., Plavix], ticlopidine [e.g., Ticlid]) - These medicines may increase the effects of drotrecogin alfa and may increase the chance of bleeding.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of drotrecogin alfa. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Aneurysm (swelling in a blood vessel) especially in the head or
• Blood disease or a history of unusual bleeding or
• Brain problems which may include bleeding, disease, injury or tumor or
• Injury to any part of the body or
• Liver disease or
• Stroke or
• Thrombocytopenia (a low platelet count in the blood) - The risk of bleeding may be increased
• In addition, tell your doctor if you have recently had medical surgery or spinal anesthesia . This may increase the risk of serious bleeding when you are taking drotrecogin alfa.