What is sirolimus?
Sirolimus 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.
Sirolimus is used to prevent your body from rejecting a transplanted kidney. Sirolimus is sometimes used in a combination treatment with cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune) and a steroid medicine such as prednisone.
Sirolimus may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
-
Precautions
-
Instructions
-
Side Effects
-
Interactions
Precautions
Sirolimus may increase your risk of developing lymphoma or other forms of cancer. Talk with your doctor about your specific cancer risk.
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to sirolimus.
If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use this medication. Before you take sirolimus, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
- high cholesterol or triglycerides;
- cytomegalovirus (CMV);
- liver disease; or
- kidney disease.
FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether sirolimus is harmful to an unborn baby. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using this medication and for at least 12 weeks after your treatment ends.
It is not known whether sirolimus 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.
This medicine should not be given to a child younger than 13 years old.
Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with sirolimus and could lead to potentially dangerous effects. Do not mix this medicine with grapefruit juice. Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while you are taking sirolimus.
Avoid contact with people who have colds, the flu, or other contagious illnesses. Contact your doctor immediately if you develop signs of infection.
Do not receive a vaccine while you are being treated with sirolimus. The vaccine may not work as well during this time, and may not fully protect you from disease.
Avoid exposure to sunlight or artificial UV rays (sunlamps or tanning beds). Sirolimus may increase your risk of skin cancer. Use a sunscreen (minimum SPF 15) and wear protective clothing if you must be out in the sun.
▲
Back to top
Instructions
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a sirolimus overdose are not known but may include some of the side effects listed in this medication guide.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
▲
Back to top
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:
- fast heart rate;
- pain when you breathe, feeling short of breath;
- chest pain, feeling weak or tired;
- coughing up blood or mucus;
- feeling like you might pass out;
- pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, weakness;
- fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
- night sweats, weight loss;
- swelling in your face, stomach, hands or feet;
- rapid weight gain;
- pain or burning when you urinate; or
- slow healing of a wound.
Less serious side effects may include:
- joint pain;
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain;
- headache; or
- acne or skin rash.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
▲
Back to top
Interactions
Tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:
- amphotericin B (Fungizone, AmBisome, Amphotec, Abelcet);
- bromocriptine (Parlodel);
- cimetidine (Tagamet);
- cisapride (Propulsid);
- danazol (Danocrine);
- metoclopramide (Reglan );
- rifampin (Rifater, Rifadin, Rimactane), rifabutin (Mycobutin), rifapentine (Priftin);
- St. John's wort;
- tacrolimus (Prograf);
- an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), or trandolapril (Mavik);
- an antibiotic such clarithromycin (Biaxin), erythromycin (E-Mycin, Ery-Tab, Erythrocin, E.E.S), telithromycin (Ketek), capreomycin (Capastat), or troleandomycin (Tao);
- an antifungal medication such as clotrimazole (Mycelex Troche), fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), or voriconazole (Vfend);
- a calcium channel blocker such as diltiazem (Tiazac, Cardizem), nicardipine (Cardene), or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Verelan);
- HIV medicines such as indinavir (Crixivan) or ritonavir (Norvir); or
- seizure medicine such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin), phenobarbital (Luminal).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with sirolimus. 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
Rapamune and sirolimus
▲
Back to top
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
Updating results…
0 helpful marks
