Leflunomide (Systemic)

Brand Names : Arava

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 leflunomide, the following should be considered:

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

Pregnancy - Leflunomide must not be taken during pregnancy because it may cause birth defects in humans. Women of childbearing age are advised to use reliable contraception before receiving leflunomide.

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

Children - Although there is no specific information comparing use of leflunomide in children with use in any other age group, use is not recommended in children up to 18 years of age.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way as they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of leflunomide in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Males - Studies have not been done in animals or humans to determine if leflunomide will cause birth defects in the children of men taking leflunomide at the time of conception. However, it is recommended that men taking this medicine use condoms as a form of birth control during sexual intercourse. Men taking leflunomide who intend to father a child, should stop taking the medicine and tell their doctor immediately.

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. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC] medicine.

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

• Disease of the immune system or
• Infections, severe - Leflunomide may decrease the body's ability to fight infection

• Liver disease, including hepatitis B or C or
• Renal disease - The chance of side effects may be increased