Meglumine Antimoniate (Systemic)

Brand Names : Glucantim, Glucantime

Before Receiving 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 meglumine antimoniate, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to meglumine antimoniate or sulfites. Also tell your health care provider 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 meglumine antimoniate passes into 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 receiving this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Although there is no specific information comparing use of meglumine antimoniate in children with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

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 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 meglumine antimoniate in the elderly with use in other age groups.

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 receiving meglumine antimoniate, it is especially important that your health care provider know if you are taking any of the following:

• Antiarrhythmics (medicines for heart rhythm problems [e.g., Cardioquin]) or
• Tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline [e.g., Elavil], amoxapine [e.g., Asendin], clomipramine [e.g., Anafranil], desipramine [e.g., Pertofrane], doxepin [e.g., Sinequan], imipramine [e.g., Tofranil], nortriptyline [e.g., Aventyl], protriptyline [e.g., Vivactil], trimipramine [e.g., Surmontil]) - Effects on the heart may be increased

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

• Heart disease or
• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease or
• Pancreatic disease - Meglumine antimoniate may make these conditions worse