Uses
Brodalumab injection is used to treat moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (a skin disease in which red, scaly patches form on some areas of the body) in people whose psoriasis is too severe to be treated by topical medications alone and who have not been treated successfully with other medications. Brodalumab injection is in a class of medications called monoclonal antibodies. It works by blocking the action of a certain natural substance in the body that causes the symptoms of psoriasis.
Side Effects Of Brodalumab Injection
Brodalumab injection may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
- headache
- joint or muscle pain
- nausea
- pain, redness, bruising, bleeding, or itching in the area where the medication was injected
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of these symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section or SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS section, call your doctor immediately:
- painful diarrhea
- bloody stools
- sudden or uncontrollable bowel movements
- stomach pain or cramping
- constipation
- weight loss
Brodalumab injection may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
Warnings & Precautions
Before using brodalumab injection:
- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to brodalumab, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in brodalumab injection. Ask your pharmacist or check the Medication Guide 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. Be sure to mention any of the following: cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune) and warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. Many other medications may also interact with brodalumab injection, so be sure to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking, even those that do not appear on this list.
- tell your doctor if you have Crohn’s disease (a condition in which the immune system attacks the lining of the digestive tract causing pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and fever). Your doctor will probably tell you not to use brodalumab injection.
- tell your doctor if you have or have ever had any medical condition.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while using brodalumab injection, call your doctor.
- if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using brodalumab injection.
- check with your doctor to see if you need to receive any vaccinations. It is important to have all vaccines appropriate for your age before beginning your treatment with brodalumab injection. Do not have any vaccinations during your treatment without talking to your doctor.
- you should know that brodalumab injection may decrease your ability to fight infection from bacteria, viruses, and fungi and increase the risk that you will get a serious or life-threatening infection. Tell your doctor if you often get any type of infection or if you have or think you may have any type of infection now. This includes minor infections (such as open cuts or sores), infections that come and go (such as herpes or cold sores), and chronic infections that do not go away. If you experience any of the following symptoms during or shortly after your treatment with brodalumab injection, call your doctor immediately: fever, sweats, or chills; muscle aches; cough; shortness of breath; sore throat or difficulty swallowing; warm, red, or painful skin or sores on your body; diarrhea; stomach pain; frequent, urgent, or painful urination; or other signs of infection.
- you should know that using brodalumab injection increases the risk that you will develop tuberculosis (TB; a serious lung infection), especially if you are already infected with TB but do not have any symptoms of the disease. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had TB, if you have lived in a country where TB is common, or if you have been around someone who has TB. Your doctor will check you for TB before starting treatment with brodalumab injection and may treat you for TB if you have a history of TB or have active TB. If you have any of the following symptoms of TB or if you develop any of these symptoms during your treatment, call your doctor immediately: cough, coughing up blood or mucus, weakness or tiredness, weight loss, loss of appetite, chills, fever, or night sweats.
Brodalumab Injection Dosage
Brodalumab injection comes as a liquid in a prefilled syringe to be injected subcutaneously (under the skin). It is usually injected once a week for the first 3 doses and then once every 2 weeks. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use brodalumab injection exactly as directed. Do not inject more or less of it or inject it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
You can inject brodalumab injection yourself or have a friend or relative perform the injections. Before you use brodalumab injection for the first time, carefully read the manufacturer’s instructions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you or the person who will be injecting the medication how to inject it.
Use each prefilled syringe only once and inject all the solution into the syringe. Dispose of used syringes and pens in a puncture-resistant container. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how to dispose of the puncture-resistant container.
If you are using a prefilled syringe that has been refrigerated, place the syringe on a flat surface without removing the needle cap and allow it to warm to room temperature for approximately 30 minutes before using. Do not try to warm the medication by heating it in a microwave, placing it in hot water, or through any other method. Do not put the prefilled syringe back in the refrigerator after it has reached room temperature.
Do not shake the medication.
Always look at brodalumab solution before you inject it. The medication should be clear and colorless to slightly yellow. Do not use the syringe if the medicine is cloudy, discolored, or contains flakes or particles.
Do not use a syringe if it has been dropped on a hard surface. Part of the syringe may be broken even if you cannot see the break.
You can inject brodalumab injection anywhere on your thighs (upper leg), upper outer arms, or stomach except your navel and the area 2 inches (5 centimeters) around it. To reduce the chances of soreness or redness, use a different site for each injection. Do not inject into an area where the skin is tender, bruised, red, hard, thick, scaly, affected by psoriasis, or where you have scars or stretch marks.
Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop using brodalumab injection if your psoriasis does not improve within 12 to 16 weeks of treatment. Talk to your doctor about how you are feeling during your treatment.
Other
Keep all appointments with your doctor.
Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.
It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.
Source
All information has been provided courtesy of MedLinePlus from the National Library of Medicine and from the FDA.
