Imatinib (Systemic)

Brand Names : Gleevec

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 imatinib, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to imatinib. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Imatinib has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals have shown that imatinib causes birth defects and other problems with pregnancy. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant. This medicine may be needed in serious diseases or other situations that threaten the mother's life. Be sure you have discussed this with your doctor.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether imatinib passes into human breast milk. However, imatinib is not recommended during breast-feeding, because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of imatinib in children with use in other age groups. Safety and effectiveness have not been established in children under 18 years of age.

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. Fluid retention may be more likely to occur in elderly patients, who may be more sensitive than younger adults to the effects of imatinib.

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, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking imatinib, it is especially important that your doctor and pharmacist know if you are taking any of the following:

• Amphotericin B by injection (e.g., Fungizone) or
• Antineoplastics (cancer medicines) or
• Antithyroid agents (medicine for overactive thyroid) or
• Azathioprine (e.g., Imuran) or
• Chloramphenicol (e.g., Chloromycetin) or
• Colchicine or
• Cyclophosphamide (e.g., Cytoxan) or
• Flucytosine (e.g., Ancobon) or
• Ganciclovir (e.g., Cytovene) or
• Interferon (e.g., Intron A, Roferon-A) or
• Mercaptopurine (e.g., Purinethol) or
• Methotrexate (e.g., Rheumatrex) or
• Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
• Zidovudine (e.g., AZT, Retrovir) - Concurrent use of these medicines with imatinib increases the risk of infection.

• If you have ever been treated with x-rays or other cancer medicines - Imatinib may increase the effects of these medicines or radiation therapy on the blood.

• Carbamazepine (e.g., Tegretol) or
• Dexamethasone (e.g., Decadron) or
• Phenobarbital (e.g., Luminal) or
• Phenytoin (e.g., Dilantin) or
• Rifampicin (e.g., Rifampin) or
• St. John's Wort - These medications may decrease the amount of imatinib in your body.

• Clarithromycin (e.g., Biaxin) or
• Erythromycin (e.g., E-Mycin, Erythrocin) or
• Itraconazole (e.g., Sporanox) or
• Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral) - These medications may increase the amount of imatinib in your body.

• Cyclosporine (e.g., Sandimmune) or
• Pimozide (e.g., Orap) - Imatinib may increase the amount of these medications in your blood to possibly harmful levels.

• Warfarin (e.g., Coumadin) - Imatinib may interfere with the metabolism of warfarin, which can cause clotting problems.

• Grapefruit or
• Grapefruit juice or
• Grapefruit-containing food or vitamin - These foods or vitamins may increase the amount of imatinib in your body. This may increase the chance of side effects.

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

• Anemia or
• Platelet problems or
• White blood cell problems - May worsen and affect the decision to continue therapy

• Chickenpox (including recent exposure) or
• Herpes zoster (shingles) - Risk of severe disease affecting other parts of the body

• Liver disease - Effects may be increased because of slower removal of imatinib from the body

• Infection - Imatinib may decrease your body's ability to fight infection