Bleomycin

by Al-Habib

Active ingredient: Bleomycin

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About Bleomycin

Cytostatic

Uses

Carcinoma of skin, head, lung and oesophagus, malignant lymphomas, glioma and uterine cervix.

How to take it

Adults: 15-30 mg IM or IV twice a wk. May be given once a day for consecutive days or once a wk depending on type and severity of cancer. Children: Not recommended. Administer IV over a period of 10 min. Reconstitute powder with 1-5 mL. Standard IV dilution: Dose in 50-100 mL NS or D5W. IM inj may cause pain at the inj site. Bleomycin sulphate may be administrated by IM, SC, IV, IP. IV injections should be given slowly over a 10 min period. Compatibility: D5W, NS. Stability: Bacteriostatic water for injection, Bacteriostatic NS is stable at room temperature for 28 days.

Side effects

Severe interstitial pneumonia and pulmonary fibrosis, shock, hypersensitivity, fever, hemorrhage, scleroderma-like changes in skin, anorexia, diarrhoea, GI upset; hepatic, renal, urinary and psychoneurologic disturbances, hypertrophy of venous wall at the inj site, narrowing of the venous lumen and induration of the administration site. Leucopenia. Phlebalgia with IV administration. Anaemia, decreased libido, depression, dizziness, somnolence, hot flushes, alopecia, hair growth, skin reactions, haematuria, gynaecomastia, breast tenderness, asthenia, oedema, chest pain, wt gain, diabetes, erectile dysfunction. Reports of photosensitivity and QT prolongation.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Pregnancy: Positive evidence of risk: Use only when no safer alternative exists for a serious problem. Lactation: Contraindicated or not recommended. Contraindications: Severe pulmonary, renal or cardiac dysfunction. Precautions: Patients receiving or having received radiotherapy, hepatic dysfunction, varicella. Elderly. Avoid high oxygen concentrations. Significant renal impairment, severe cardiac disease.

Advice

This medication is administered by injection or infusion. Mouth rinses and regular mouth care with soft swabs may help to prevent mouth sores. Inform prescriber immediately if there is redness/swelling/burning/pain at injection or infusion site. Contact prescriber if there is difficulty in breathing, increased secretions, difficulty in expulsion of phlegm, confusion, need for more air, unrelieved chills or fever, mouth sores, acute headache, sudden dizziness, vaginal discharge, itching or burning.

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Interactions with Bleomycin

Anti-tumour drugs, other antineoplastics, clozapine.

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Compiled by Healify Pharmacy from published drug references. How we compile it →

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