What is basiliximab?
Basiliximab lowers your body’s immune system. The immune system helps your body fight infections. The immune system can also fight or "reject” a transplanted organ such as a liver or kidney. This is because the immune system treats the new organ as an invader.
Basiliximab is used with other medications to prevent organ rejection after a kidney transplant.
Basiliximab may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.
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Precautions
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Instructions
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Side Effects
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Interactions
Precautions
FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether basiliximab passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Avoid contact with people who have colds, the flu, or other contagious illnesses. Contact your doctor immediately if you develop signs of infection.
Avoid receiving a vaccine shortly after you have been treated with basiliximab, unless your doctor has told you to.
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Instructions
An overdose of basiliximab is not expected to produce life-threatening symptoms.
Since basiliximab is given while you are in the hospital, it is unlikely that you will miss a dose.
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Side Effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
- pain or burning when you urinate;
- easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
- sleep problems (insomnia);
- tremors, shaking; or
- fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms.
Other less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:
- nausea, vomiting, constipation, stomach pain;
- headache;
- diarrhea, constipation; or
- swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Interactions
Before receiving basiliximab, tell your doctor if you are using any drugs that weaken your immune system, such as:
- chemotherapy or radiation;
- steroid medicine;
- sirolimus (Rapamune), tacrolimus (Prograf);
- efalizumab (Raptiva), muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone);
- mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept); or
- azathioprine (Imuran), leflunomide (Arava), etanercept (Enbrel).
If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to receive basiliximab, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.
There may be other drugs not listed that can affect basiliximab. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
Other Names
Simulect and basiliximab
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Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2004 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version 2.05. Revision date 8/23/04
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