Admin Table of Contents
What is darbepoetin used for?
Darbepoetin may be used for patients on kidney dialysis or for those not on dialysis. Anemia can also occur in people who are receiving chemotherapy to treat cancer. Darbepoetin alfa is used to treat severe anemia in these patients.
Is Aranesp a chemo drug?
Aranesp (darbepoetin alfa) is an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent, or ESA, used to treat anemia (a lack of red blood cells in the body) in people with long-term serious kidney disease (chronic renal failure) and people receiving chemotherapy for some types of cancer.
What is the side effects of darbepoetin?
More common
- Accumulation of pus.
- arm, back, or jaw pain.
- breathing problems (irregular, noisy, or trouble when resting)
- chest pain, discomfort, tightness, or heaviness.
- decrease in the amount of urine.
- dilated neck veins.
- dizziness, fainting, or lightheadedness.
- fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat.
Why do I need Aranesp?
Aranesp is a man-made form of the protein human erythropoietin that is given to reduce or avoid the need for red blood cell transfusions. Aranesp stimulates your bone marrow to make more red blood cells. Having more red blood cells raises your hemoglobin level.
How do you take darbepoetin?
Darbepoetin alfa injection comes as a solution (liquid) to inject subcutaneously (just under the skin) or intravenously (into a vein). It is usually injected once every 1 to 4 weeks. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand.
Does darbepoetin contain albumin?
Albumin solutioncontains 2.5 mg albumin (human), 2.23 mg sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate, 0.53 mg sodium phosphate dibasic anhydrous, and 8.18 mg sodium chloride in Water for Injection, USP (per 1 mL) at pH 6.0 ± 0.3. Aranesp™ stimulates erythropoiesis by the same mechanism as endogenous erythropoietin.
How safe is Aranesp?
Aranesp increases the risk of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, venous thromboembolism, and thrombosis of vascular access and tumor progression or recurrence. Aranesp can also lead to an increase in adverse cardiovascular events, hypertension, seizures, and severe anemia.
How quickly does darbepoetin work?
When darbepoetin alfa begins to work, usually in about 6 weeks, most people start to feel better. Some people are able to be more active. But darbepoetin alfa only corrects anemia. It has no effect on kidney disease, cancer, or any other medical problem that needs regular medical attention.
What is the difference between erythropoietin and darbepoetin?
Background: Darbepoetin alfa (DA-α) is a long-acting erythropoiesis-stimulating glycoprotein with a three-fold longer half-life than Erythropoietin alfa (EPO).
What happens if you stop taking Aranesp?
You may need to stop taking Aranesp ®. Serious allergic reactions. Serious allergic reactions can cause a skin rash, itching, shortness of breath, wheezing, dizziness and fainting due to a drop in blood pressure, swelling around your mouth or eyes, fast pulse, or sweating.
Is darbepoetin a blood product?
One form of darbepoetin alfa injection has an ingredient that comes from donated human blood. Some human blood products have transmitted certain viruses to people who have received them, although the risk is low. Human donors and donated blood are both tested for viruses to keep the transmission risk low.
How is Aranesp administered?
Aranesp should be administered either subcutaneously or intravenously in order to increase haemoglobin to not greater than 12 g/dL (7.5 mmol/L). Subcutaneous use is preferable in patients who are not receiving haemodialysis to avoid the puncture of peripheral veins.
How does Aranesp work?
Aranesp works by stimulating the production of red blood cells by the bone marrow. It is very similar to epoetin alfa (Epogen®, Procrit®), with a few minor changes to the molecule.