Amsacrine : Before Using - AMSA P-D, acridinyl anisidide, m-AMSA

Amsacrine - Systemic

Brand Names

AMSA P-D, acridinyl anisidide, m-AMSA Amsacrine *** Before Using *** How to Use *** Fore Safe Use *** Side Effects

Before Using

In deciding to using a medication, the chance of taking the drug must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you will make. For amsacrine, the following must be considered

Allergic reaction

Tell your family doctor if you have any unusual or allergy to amsacrine.

Pregnancy care

Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in either humans or pets.

Before receiving amsacrine make sure your family doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant. It is best to use some kind of birth control while you are receiving amsacrine. Tell your family doctor right away if you think you have become pregnant while receiving amsacrine.

Breast-feeding problem

Amsacrine is not recommended during breast-feeding, because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Use for Children

Studies on this drug have been done only in adult diseaseds and there is no special info comparing use of amsacrine in child with use in other age groups.

Elderly care

Many medication have not been studied specifically in elderly people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in adults people or if they cause various side effects or problems in elderly people. There is no special info comparing use of amsacrine in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Drug interactions

Although certain medication must not be using together at all, in other cases two various medication may be using together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your family doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving amsacrine, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

Acyclovir - Zovirax
Anticonvulsants - seizure drug
Antidiabetics, oral - diabetes drug taken by mouth
Anti-infectives by mouth or by injection - drug for infection
Antipsychotics - drug for mental illness
Captopril - Capoten
Enalapril - Vasotec
Flecainide - Tambocor
Gold salts - drug for arthritis
Imipenem
Inflammation or pain drug, except narcotics
Lisinopril - Prinivil, Zestril
Maprotiline - Ludiomil
Penicillamine - Cuprimine
Pimozide - Orap
Procainamide - Pronestyl
Promethazine - Phenergan
Ramipril - Altace
Sulfasalazine - Azulfidine
Tiopronin - Thiola
Tocainide - Tonocard
Tricyclic antidepressants - drug for depression
Trimeprazine - Temaril Concurrent use of these agents with amsacrine may cause blood disorders

Alpha interferons - Intron A, Roferon-A
Amphotericin B by injection - Fungizone
Antineoplastics, other - cancer drug
Antithyroid agents - drug for overactive thyroid
Azathioprine - Imuran
Chloramphenicol - Chloromycetin
Colchicine
Cyclophosphamide - e.g. Cytoxan
Flucytosine - e.g. Ancoban
Ganciclovir - Cytovene
Zidovudine - AZT, Retrovir Concurrent use of these agents with amsacrine increases the risk of infection

If you have ever been treated with radiation or cancer medication Amsacrine may increase the side effects of medication or radiation therapy on the blood

Other Information for using

The presence of other medical problems may effect the use of amsacrine. Make sure you tell your family doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

Bone marrow depression
Infection There may be an increased risk of infections or worsening infections because of the body's reduced ability to fight them

Chickenpox - including recent exposure
Herpes zoster - shingles chance of severe disease effecting other parts of the body
Heart rhythm problems Patients who have problems with heart rhythms may have increased problems while taking amsacrine
Kidney disease
Liver disease Effects of amsacrine may be increased because of its slower removal from the body