Rasburicase Injection

Rasburicase injection may cause a severe or life-threatening allergic reaction. If you experience any of the following symptoms, tell your doctor or nurse immediately: chest pain or tightness; shortness of breath; lightheadedness; faintness; ; hives; rash; itching; swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat; or difficulty breathing or swallowing. If you experience a severe allergic reaction, your doctor will stop your infusion immediately.

Rasburicase injection may cause serious blood problems. Tell your doctor if you have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency (an inherited blood disease). Your doctor will probably tell you that you cannot receive rasburicase injection. Also tell your doctor if you are of African or Mediterranean descent. If you experience any of the following symptoms, contact your doctor immediately: headache;shortness of breath; lightheadedness; weakness; confusion; fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat; seizures; pale or blue-gray skin color; yellowing of the skin or eyes; chills; extreme tiredness; and dark urine.

Before having any laboratory test, tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are receiving rasburicase injection.

Talk to your doctor about the risks of receiving rasburicase injection.

🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?

Rasburicase injection is used to treat high levels of uric acid (a natural substance that builds up in the blood as tumors break down) in people with certain types of cancer who are being treated with chemotherapy medications. Rasburicase injection is in a class of medications called enzymes. It works by breaking down uric acid so that the body can eliminate it.

🔔 How should this medicine be used?

Rasburicase injection comes as a powder to be mixed with liquid to be injected intravenously (into a vein) by a doctor or nurse in a hospital or clinic. It is usually given over a period of 30 minutes once a day for up to 5 days. This medication is given as a single course of treatment that will not be repeated.

One of the most important and most popular changes to the health insurance landscape brought about by the passing of the Affordable Care Act was the prohibition against denying patients health insurance, or charging them more, if they had preexisting conditions. Research shows that 27% of Americans in the 18 to 64 age group have what would have been considered a “declinable medical condition” before the Affordable Care Act took effect, and in some regions, the percentage of patients with preexisting conditions rises to nearly four in 10, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

🔔 Other uses for this medicine

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

🔔 What special precautions should I follow?

Before receiving rasburicase injection,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to rasburicase, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in rasburicase injection. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• in addition to the condition mentioned in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, tell your doctor if you have or have ever had any other medical conditions.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while receiving rasburicase injection, call your doctor.
• if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are receiving rasburicase injection.

🔔 What special dietary instructions should I follow?

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.