******************************************************

This page was prepared by Lynn Kash, RN, Internet Nursing Guide
Pennsylvania Nurses,Emergency Department
http://www.nursefriendly.com/kash/

******************************************************

Epirubicin Hydrochloride, Precautions, American Cancer Society:"Tell your doctor if you are taking cimetidine (Tagamet). You should not take this drug during epirubicin therapy because it increases levels of chemotherapy in your blood. You should not receive this medicine if you have had a recent heart attack, have severe heart problems, have had an allergic reaction to other anthracycline chemotherapy medicines, or have received large doses of another anthracycline drug. Doses of epirubicin will be reduced if you have any liver problems. While you are being treated with epirubicin hydrochloride, and after you stop treatment, do not have any immunizations (vaccinations) without your doctor's okay. Try to avoid contact with people who have recently taken the oral polio vaccine, or who have infections. Epirubicin hydrochloride can lower your blood counts (white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets). Your doctor will check your blood counts before and after each treatment to see its effect on your blood counts."
American Cancer Society
1599 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30329
1-800-ACS-2345
http://www.cancer.org/

******************************************************

Epirubicin, What should I avoid while using epirubicin, Drugs.com:"Skin accidentally exposed to epirubicin should be rinsed thoroughly with soap and warm water.

Epirubicin can lower the activity of the immune system making you susceptible to infections. Avoid contact with people who have colds, the flu, or other contagious illnesses and do not receive vaccines that contain live strains of a virus (e.g., live oral polio vaccine) during treatment with epirubicin. In addition, avoid contact with individuals who have recently been vaccinated with a live vaccine. There is a chance that the virus can be passed on to you."
Drugs.com
P.O. Box 302739, North Harbour, Auckland, Auckland 1330, NZ
http://www.drugs.com/

******************************************************

Epirubicin Injection, What side effects should I watch for, Drug Digest.org:"nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, mouth sores, hair loss, red urine for 1-2 days after each dose--is common and should not cause alarm, premature menopause.

If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: severe vomiting and/or dehydration, pain at injection site, increased heart rate, irregular heartbeat, fever, chills, sore throat, cough, body aches, swelling, unusual bleeding or bruising, ulcers in mouth or throat, black tarry stools, blood in urine, red discharge from eye, eyelid, or lining of eyelid, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, abdominal swelling.

Anyone taking this medication should be advised that a risk of irreversible heart damage or leukemia does exist. Effective contraception should be used when taking this medication."
Expresscripts.com
Burstyn, Lance
521 Alton Rd #208, Miami Beach, FL 33140, US
http://www.drugdigest.org/

******************************************************

Pharmorubicin, How should I use this medication, Medibroadcast.com:"The recommended dose of epirubicin varies widely according to the specific disease being treated, the response to therapy, the other drugs being used, and the body size of the recipient. Epirubicin is usually injected into a vein through a specially prepared site on the skin. Doses are usually given at three- to four-week intervals, either alone or with other drugs used to treat cancer. Some dosing schedules suggest that smaller doses be administered on a weekly basis.. Very careful handling of this medication is required. Epirubicin is always given under the supervision of a doctor in a hospital or similar setting with access to sterile equipment for preparation.

As well as interfering with the genetic material DNA of cancer cells, epirubicin can interfere with some of your normal cells. This can cause a number of side effects such as hair loss and mouth sores. Keep track of any side effects and report them to your doctor as suggested in the section "What side effects are possible with this medication?" "
http://www.medbroadcast.com/

******************************************************

Ellence, How does this medication work? What will it do for me, Mediresource.com:"Epirubicin belongs to the group of cancer-fighting medicines known as antineoplastics, and specifically to the family of antineoplastics called anthracyclines. Another anthracycline is doxorubicin. Epirubicin prevents the growth of cancer cells by interfering with the genetic material DNA, which is necessary for reproduction of cells. Epirubicin is used alone or in combination with other antineoplastics for the treatment of many types of cancer including breast cancer, lung cancer, ovary cancer, stomach cancer, and lymphoma. Your doctor may choose to use this medication for other conditions not listed here. If you're unsure why you are taking this medication, please ask your doctor."
http://www.mediresource.com/

******************************************************

Epirubicin Injection, Important Warning, MEDLINEplus:"Epirubicin may cause severe heart damage, even months or years after you have stopped taking the drug. Epirubicin may also cause a decrease in the number of blood cells.Tell your doctor if you have ever had chemotherapy with daunorubicin (Cerubidine, DaunoXome), doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Doxil, Rubex), epirubicin, idarubicin (Idamycin), mitoxantrone (Novantrone), or valrubicin (Valstar) or radiation therapy to the chest and if you are taking calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine (Norvasc), diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac, others), felodipine (Plendil), isradipine (DynaCirc), nicardipine (Cardene), nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), nimodipine (Nimotop), nisoldipine (Sular), and verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan) or cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar). Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart or liver disease. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: rapid heartbeat; shortness of breath; swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs; swelling of the stomach; unusual bleeding or bruising; pale skin; lack of energy; or fever, sore throat, chills, and other signs of infection. Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests before, during, and after your treatment to check your body's response to epirubicin. Epirubicin has been associated with the development of other types of cancer. Talk with your doctor about the risk of developing a new cancer."
U.S. National Library of Medicine
8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894
custserv@nlm.nih.gov
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/

******************************************************

Epirubicin Hydrochloride, Action/Kinetics, NursesPDR.com:" Cell cycle phase nonspecific anthracycline; has maximum cytotoxic effects on the S and G2 phases. Precise mechanism of action is not known. It does form a complex with DNA by intercalation of its planar rings between nucleotide base pairs resulting in inhibition of DNA and RNA synthesis. Intercalation triggers DNA cleavage by topoisomerase II, resulting in cell death. The drug also inhibits DNA helicase activity which prevents enzymatic separation of double-stranded DNA and interfering with replication and transcription. The drug is also involved in oxidation-reduction reactions by generating cytotoxic free radicals. Following IV, it is rapidly and widely distributed; appears to concentrate in RBCs. Extensively and rapidly metabolized by the liver and RBCs. Parent drug and metabolites are excreted through both the feces and urine. t1/2: Triphasic with half-lives of about 3 min, 2.5 hr, and 33 hr."
Thomson Learning - Customer Service
PO Box 6904 Florence, KY 41022-6904
Tel: 800-354-9706 Fax: 800-487-8488 Email: esales@thomsonlearning.com
http://www.nursespdr.com/

******************************************************

Epirubicin, Indications, RxList:"ELLENCE Injection is indicated as a component of adjuvant therapy in patients with evidence of axillary node tumor involvement following resection of primary breast cancer.

Dosage and Administration: ELLENCE Injection is administered to patients by intravenous infusion. ELLENCE is given in repeated 3- to 4-week cycles. The total dose of ELLENCE may be given on Day 1 of each cycle or divided equally and given on Days 1 and 8 of each cycle."
RxList - The Internet Drug Index: Searchable drug database. RxList LLC
500 3rd Street Suite 530
San Francisco, CA 94107
707-747-0985 fax: 708 575 8638,info@rxlist.com
http://www.rxlist.com/

******************************************************

Epirubicin Injection, Important Warning, SafeMedication.com:"Epirubicin may cause severe heart damage, even months or years after you have stopped taking the drug. Epirubicin may also cause a decrease in the number of blood cells.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had chemotherapy with daunorubicin (Cerubidine, DaunoXome), doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Doxil, Rubex), epirubicin, idarubicin (Idamycin), mitoxantrone (Novantrone), or valrubicin (Valstar) or radiation therapy to the chest and if you are taking calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine (Norvasc), diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor, Tiazac, others), felodipine (Plendil), isradipine (DynaCirc), nicardipine (Cardene), nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia), nimodipine (Nimotop), nisoldipine (Sular), and verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan) or cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan, Neosar). Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had heart or liver disease."
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
7272 Wisconsin Avenue Bethesda, MD 20814
301-657-3000
http://www.safemedication.com/

******************************************************

Epirubicin, What is the most important information I should know about epirubicin, Web Md Health:"Epirubicin should only be administered under the supervision of a qualified healthcare provider experienced in the use of cancer chemotherapeutic agents.

Serious side effects have been reported with the use of epirubicin including: allergic reactions (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives); heart problems; tissue damage at the injection site; decreased bone marrow function and blood problems (extreme fatigue; easy bruising or bleeding; black, bloody or tarry stools; fever or chills; or signs of infection); severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or sores in the mouth; and others. Secondary cancers such as leukemia have also been reported during and following treatment with epirubicin. Talk to your doctor about the possible side effects from treatment with epirubicin."
WebMD
1175 Peachtree Road, NE, Suite 2400, Atlanta, GA 30361.
212-624-3700service@webmd.net
http://my.webmd.com/content/drugs/

******************************************************
******************************************************

Search The Web For: Canadian Pharmacies, Health Insurance, Medical Insurance, Online Pharmacies, Prescription Drugs

******************************************************

Please choose from the following:

• Alphabetical Drug Listings
  
• Search the Web for Canadian Pharmacies
• Clinical Calculators
• Drug, Pill Identification, Prescription Drugs, Medications
• Drugs By Category
• Drug, Medication, Herbal Interaction Checkers:This Guide helps you to find out if drugs interact with each other or interact with food. Checking Drug Interactions between two or more drugs.
• Each pharmaceutical company has special programs in place for those who cannot afford their drugs or are underinsured, this utility will direct you to the contact for each.
• Health & Medical & Vision, Prescription & Dental Insurance
• Top 200 Most Prescribed Drugs, Medications
• Toxicology