Composition
Cap 500 mg: Hydroxyurea 500 mg.
Indications & Dosage
Treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia, Treatment of cancer of the cervix in conjunction with radiotherapy, Polycythaemia: Adult: 20-30 mg/kg daily, alternatively 80 mg/kg every3 days. Sickle-cell disease: Adult: Initially 15 mg/kg daily, increased in steps of 2.5-5 mg/kg daily, increased every 12 weeks according to response; usual dose 15-30 mg/kg daily; max. 35 mg/kg per day.
Contraindications
Marked bone marrow depression; severe anaemia.
Precautions
Leg ulcers (review treatment if cutaneous vasculitic ulcerations develop), Haematological monitoring including bone marrow; monitor hepatic and renal function; recent X-ray or cytostatic therapy; pre-menopausal women.
Interactions
Cytarabine, didanosine, stavudine
Pregnancy
Positive evidence of risk: Avoid
Lactation
Contraindicated. Discontinue breast-feeding
Side Effects
Headache, myelosuppression, skin reactions, alopecia, bleeding (in sickle-cell disease),bone-marrow suppression, dizziness, hyperuricaemia, hypomagnesaemia (in sickle-cell disease), nausea, oral mucositis, rash, reduced sperm count and activity, skin cancers, thromboembolism, tumourlysis syndrome, vomiting Rare: Amenorrhoea (in sickle-cell disease)