Vepeside (intravenous)

Vepeside (intravenous)

Vepeside (intravenous) Intravenous route (solution)

Etoposide may cause severe myelosuppression resulting in infection or bleeding.

Uses for Vepeside

Etoposide belongs to a group of medicines called antineoplastic medicines. The exact way etoposide works against cancer is not known. However, it appears to interfere with the growth of cancer cells, which are eventually destroyed. Since etoposide can also affect the growth of normal body cells, other effects also occur. Some of these can be serious and should be reported to your doctor. Other effects, such as hair loss, may not be serious but may be cause for concern. Some effects may not appear until months or years after using the medicine.

Before you start treatment with etoposide, you and your doctor should discuss the benefits of this medication and the risks of using it.

This medicine should only be given by or under your doctor's supervision.

Before using Vepesid

When deciding whether to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the benefits it produces. This is a decision that you and your doctor will make. The following should be noted with this medicine:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had an unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your doctor if you have other allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives or animals. For over-the-counter products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatrics

No appropriate studies have been conducted on the relationship between age and the effects of etoposide injection in children and adolescents. Safety and effectiveness have not been established.

geriatrics

Related studies conducted to date have not shown any geriatric-specific problems that would limit the benefit of etoposide injection in the elderly. However, older patients are at higher risk of adverse side effects (e.g., infections, nausea and vomiting, hair loss) and age-related kidney, liver, or heart problems, which may require caution in older patients receiving etoposide injection.

Breastfeeding

There are insufficient studies in women to determine the risk to infants when using this drug while breast-feeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Drug interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines can be used together, although interactions may occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose or other precautions may be necessary. If you are receiving this medicine, it is particularly important that your doctor knows whether you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions were selected for their potential significance and are not necessarily exhaustive.

The use of this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or to change some of the other medications you are taking.

• Masernvirus-Impfstoff, lebend
• Mumpsvirus-Impfstoff, lebend
• Rotavirus-Impfstoff, lebend
• Rötelnvirus-Impfstoff, lebend
• Varizellenvirus-Impfstoff, lebend
• Zoster-Impfstoff, lebend

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

• Adenovirus-Impfstoff
• Aprepitant
• Bacillus of Calmette und Guerin-Impfstoff, lebend
• Cholera-Impfstoff, lebend
• Cyclosporin
• Tetravalenter Dengue-Impfstoff, lebend
• Echinacea
• Fosaprepitant
• Glucosamin
• Influenzavirus-Impfstoff, lebend
• Poliovirus-Impfstoff, lebend
• Pockenimpfstoff
• Johanniskraut
• Typhus-Impfstoff, lebend
• Valspodar
• Warfarin
• Gelbfieber-Impfstoff

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may result in an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both medicines may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both medicines.

• Rolapitant

Interactions with food/tobacco/alcohol

Certain medicines should not be taken during or near food or consumption of certain foods because interactions may occur. Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain medications can also lead to interactions. The following interactions were selected for their potential significance and are not necessarily exhaustive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may result in an increased risk of certain side effects, but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or frequency of use of this medication, or give you special instructions about food, alcohol, or tobacco consumption.

• Grapefruitsaft

Other medical problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Niedriger Serumalbuminspiegel (Protein im Blut) – kann zu verstärkten Nebenwirkungen führen.

• Infektion – Kann die Fähigkeit Ihres Körpers, Infektionen zu bekämpfen, beeinträchtigen.

• Nierenerkrankung – Mit Vorsicht anwenden. Die Wirkung von Etoposid kann aufgrund der langsameren Entfernung aus dem Körper verstärkt werden.

Correct use of Vepeside

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine in a hospital or cancer treatment center. This medicine is given through a needle into one of your veins. The medicine must be injected slowly, so your IV tube must remain in place for 30 to 60 minutes.

Etoposide is sometimes given with certain other medicines. If you are taking a combination of medicines, make sure you take each medicine at the right time and do not mix the medicines. If you are taking some of these medicines by mouth, ask your doctor to help you find a way to remember to take your medicines at the right time.

Etoposide often causes nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite, which can be serious. However, it is very important that you continue to receive the medicine even if you feel unwell. Ask your doctor about ways to lessen these effects.

Precautions when using Vepeside

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood tests may be needed to check for adverse effects.

Using this medicine during pregnancy may harm your unborn baby. Use effective contraception to prevent pregnancy during treatment and for at least 6 months after the last dose. If you think you have become pregnant while using this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.

Etoposide can also cause birth defects if the father uses it while his sexual partner becomes pregnant. Men using this medicine should use condoms for contraception during treatment and for at least 4 months after the last dose of etoposide. A man who intends to father a child should stop using this medicine and consult his doctor immediately.

Etoposide can temporarily reduce the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the risk of infection. It can also reduce the number of platelets needed for proper blood clotting. If this happens, you can take certain precautions to reduce your risk of infection or bleeding, especially if your blood count is low:

• Wenn möglich, meiden Sie Menschen mit Infektionen. Wenden Sie sich sofort an Ihren Arzt, wenn Sie glauben, eine Infektion zu bekommen, oder wenn Sie Fieber oder Schüttelfrost, Husten oder Heiserkeit, Schmerzen im unteren Rücken oder in den Seiten verspüren oder Schmerzen beim Wasserlassen haben oder Schwierigkeiten haben.
• Wenden Sie sich sofort an Ihren Arzt, wenn Sie ungewöhnliche Blutungen oder Blutergüsse, schwarzen, teerigen Stuhl, Blut im Urin oder Stuhl oder punktförmige rote Flecken auf Ihrer Haut bemerken.
• Seien Sie vorsichtig, wenn Sie eine normale Zahnbürste, Zahnseide oder einen Zahnstocher verwenden. Ihr Arzt, Zahnarzt oder das medizinische Fachpersonal empfiehlt Ihnen möglicherweise andere Methoden zur Reinigung Ihrer Zähne und Ihres Zahnfleisches. Fragen Sie Ihren Arzt, bevor Sie zahnärztliche Eingriffe durchführen lassen.
• Berühren Sie nicht Ihre Augen oder die Innenseite Ihrer Nase, es sei denn, Sie haben sich gerade die Hände gewaschen und in der Zwischenzeit nichts anderes berührt.
• Achten Sie darauf, sich nicht zu schneiden, wenn Sie scharfe Gegenstände wie einen Rasierhobel oder Finger- oder Zehennagelschneider verwenden.
• Vermeiden Sie Kontaktsportarten oder andere Situationen, in denen es zu Blutergüssen oder Verletzungen kommen kann.

This medicine can cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Tell your doctor or nurse immediately if you experience chills, fever, lightheadedness, dizziness or fainting, fast, pounding heartbeat, swelling of the face, tongue and throat, or trouble breathing after taking this medicine.

Injection site reactions may occur while you are receiving this medicine. Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any swelling, pain, or redness at the injection site.

This medicine may rarely cause leukemia (cancer of the blood or bone marrow). Talk to your doctor about any concerns you may have about this.

Talk to your doctor before getting any flu or other vaccinations while taking this medicine, as there are certain vaccinations that you should not receive.

Do not take any other medicines unless you have discussed this with your doctor. This includes both prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medications and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Vepeside side effects

In addition to the necessary effects, a medicine may also have some undesirable effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, medical attention may be required if they occur.

Contact your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

• Schwarzer, teeriger Stuhl
• Zahnfleischbluten
• Blut im Urin oder Stuhl
• Brustschmerzen
• Schüttelfrost
• Husten
• Fieber
• schmerzhaftes oder schwieriges Wasserlassen
• blasse Haut
• Punktgenaue rote Flecken auf der Haut
• Halsentzündung
• Wunden, Geschwüre oder weiße Flecken auf den Lippen oder im Mund
• geschwollene Drüsen
• Atembeschwerden bei Anstrengung
• ungewöhnliche Blutungen oder Blutergüsse
• ungewöhnliche Müdigkeit oder Schwäche

Less common

• Verschwommene Sicht
• Verwirrung
• Husten oder Heiserkeit, begleitet von Fieber oder Schüttelfrost
• Schwierigkeiten beim Schlucken
• Schwindel
• Schwindel, Ohnmacht oder Benommenheit beim plötzlichen Aufstehen aus einer liegenden oder sitzenden Position
• Das Gesicht fühlt sich warm oder heiß an
• schneller Herzschlag
• Kopfschmerzen
• Nesselsucht, Juckreiz oder Hautausschlag
• Schmerzen im unteren Rücken oder in der Seite, begleitet von Fieber oder Schüttelfrost
• Nervosität
• Taubheitsgefühl oder Kribbeln in den Fingern oder Zehen
• Schmerzen oder Rötung an der Injektionsstelle
• blasse Haut an der Injektionsstelle
• in den Ohren hämmern
• Schwellungen oder Schwellungen der Augenlider oder um die Augen, das Gesicht, die Lippen oder die Zunge
• Rötung im Gesicht
• langsamer oder schneller Herzschlag
• Schwitzen
• Engegefühl in der Brust

Rarely

• Rückenschmerzen
• Schwierigkeiten beim Gehen
• Bewusstlosigkeit
• Schwellung des Gesichts oder der Zunge
• Engegefühl im Hals

Incident not known

• Starke Bauch- oder Magenschmerzen
• Blindheit
• Blasenbildung, Abschälen oder Lockerung der Haut
• Blau-Gelb-Farbenblindheit
• dunkler Urin
• verminderte Sehkraft
• Augenschmerzen
• Gelenk- oder Muskelschmerzen
• Appetitverlust
• Übelkeit oder Erbrechen
• rote, gereizte Augen
• rote Hautläsionen, oft mit violettem Zentrum
• Anfälle
• gelbe Augen oder Haut

Some side effects may occur that usually do not require medical attention. These side effects may disappear during treatment as your body gets used to the medicine. Your doctor may also be able to give you ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. If any of the following side effects persist or are bothersome, or if you have any questions, contact your doctor:

More common

• Schlechter, ungewöhnlicher oder unangenehmer (Nach-)Geschmack
• Geschmacksveränderung
• Verstopfung
• rissige Lippen
• Haarausfall oder Haarausfall
• Mangel oder Verlust der Kraft
• Schwellung oder Entzündung des Mundes
• Gewichtsverlust

This medicine often causes temporary hair loss. After stopping treatment with etoposide, normal hair growth should return.

Some patients may also experience other side effects not listed. If you notice other side effects, contact your doctor.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Commonly used brand names

In the USA

• Etopophos
• Vepesid

In Canada

• Dom-Etoposid
• Eposin
• Etoposid
• PMS-Etoposid

Available dosage forms:

• Lösung
• Pulver zur Lösung

Therapeutic class: Antineoplastic agent

Pharmacological class: Mitotic inhibitors

More information