What is Actemra Actpen?
Actemra is a form of actpen that is a treatment for adults that treats:
- Moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis is moderate to severe when at the very least one other drug was tried but failed to perform;
- Giant cells arteritis (inflammation in the blood vessels' lining, which carries the flow of blood through your heart into other organs in the body);
- To prevent the decline of lung function that is caused by the scleroderma associated with interstitial lung disease. To slow the decline in lung function caused by interstitial lung disease.
- Coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19) for patients admitted to hospitals who receive steroids and need supplemental oxygen, ventilators, and ECMO (a heart-lung machine to increase the amount of oxygen in the blood).
Actemra Actemra is for children and adults aged 2 and up to treat:
- Polyarticular or systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis ("still illness) or
- Serious cytokine release syndrome (CRS is an active immune response in response to specific blood cells used in the treatment of cancer).
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is allowing the use of tocilizumab in combination with steroid medicines to treat infants and children who are at least two years old and who are in a hospital with COVID-19 and who require an oxygen concentrator, a ventilator, and ECMO (a heart-lung device that increases the blood oxygen levels).
The Actemra Actpen could also be prescribed for other purposes not mentioned in this medication manual.
Warnings
It is possible to contract infections much more frequently, including severe or fatal illnesses. Call your doctor if you are suffering from symptoms like fever, chills, fatigue, aches, cough, lack of breath, skin sores, diarrhea, weight loss, or a burning sensation when you go to the bathroom.
Actemra actpen may also cause perforations (a tear or hole) in your stomach or your intestines. Inform your physician if you are experiencing stomach pain that is not accompanied by an alteration in your eating routine.
Actemra's actpen may also cause liver issues. Inform your physician immediately if you are experiencing nausea, right-sided stomach pain, or a loss of appetite. You may also experience fatigue, a dark urine color, and stools that are clay-colored, as well as discoloration of your eyes or skin.
Before you Take this drug
Do not take the Actemra actpen if you're sensitive to it.
Inform your physician if you are experiencing any symptoms of infection like colds, fever, cough, body pains, tiredness, open sores or injuries, stomach pains or weight loss, pain in the urinary tract, or coughing up blood.
Inform your physician if you've suffered from or have been exposed to tuberculosis, or if you've just gone on a trip. Certain types of infections are more frequent in specific regions around the globe, and it is possible that you were exposed while traveling.
Inform your physician if you experienced:
- An active or persistent illness;
- liver condition
- Diverticulitis and ulcers that can be found in the stomach and intestines of your body;
- A nerve-muscle disorder, for example, is known as
- Diabetes
- HIV or an insufficient immune system
- Hepatitis B (or if you're a carrier of the disease);
- If you've had or plan to get any vaccinations.
The use of Actemra actpen can increase the risk of getting various cancers. Talk to your physician about the possibility of developing cancer.
Consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding or pregnant.
Let your baby's physician know whether you have used the Actemra Actpen while pregnant. It could affect the schedule of vaccinations for your child during the early months of his existence. You may have your name listed in a pregnancy registry to monitor the effect of tocilizumab on the infant.
How to take Actemra's actpen?
When you first start using Actemra your doctor will examine you for tuberculosis and other infections.
Make sure you follow the instructions on the label of your prescription and review all drug guides and instruction sheets. Follow the medication exactly in the manner that is recommended. Actemra's actpen is injected under the skin or in a vein. The Actemra actpen dose is typically administered every one to four weeks in most cases. For CRS, one dose of medication is normally given. In the event of an injection into a vein, medication is administered slowly over approximately 1 hour. Take note of and follow the instructions for use that come along with the drug. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor to help you understand how to utilize the injection. Make an injection only once you're ready to administer it. Contact your doctor if the medication appears cloudy, changes color, or contains particles. The healthcare professional will inform you of the appropriate place to inject Actemra Actpen. Don't inject the same area twice in the same row. Avoid reusing needles or an autoinjector, as well as a syringe. Put them inside an impervious puncture "sharps" container and dispose of it according to local or state laws. Be sure to keep them out of the reach of children and pets. There is a chance that you will contract infections frequently, including serious or fatal ones. It is important to have regular examinations by a doctor.
If you've been a victim of hepatitis B and it has returned, it could get worse. It is possible that you will require tests for liver function while taking this medication and over the course of several months following your takeoff. Speak to your doctor if you are planning an operation. Take all medications exactly according to the directions. Never alter the dose or cease using the medicine in the absence of a doctor's recommendation. Place this medication in its original packaging in a refrigerator. Be sure to keep it away from light and moisture. Don't freeze. Recycle any prefilled syringes that aren't used by the expiration date. End date on the medication label. When removed from the refrigerator, the prefilled autoinjector or syringe may be stored for as long as two weeks at temperatures below 86 F (30 C). Get rid of the prefilled autoinjector and syringe following the first use, regardless of whether there's still some medicine within. Actemra's actpen may have lasting impacts on the body. It is possible that you will require certain health tests every six months once you have stopped taking the medication.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Contact your physician for advice in case you missed the dosage.
What happens if I overdose?
For medical emergencies, seek emergency treatment or contact the poison help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should be avoided?
Beware of receiving any "live" vaccine, or it could lead to a severe illness. Live vaccines comprise measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), the typhoid virus, rotavirus, yellow fever, varicella (chickenpox), and zoster (shingles).
It is possible to get a vaccination against the flu or an "inactivated" or another vaccine to protect yourself from diseases like meningitis, hepatitis, shingles, HPV, whooping cough, and others. Consult your physician prior to receiving any vaccination.
Do not be around people with illnesses or infections. Inform your physician immediately in the event that you show symptoms of illness.
Side effects of Actemra actpen
Contact emergency medical assistance. If you are experiencing indications or warning signs of a reaction such as chest pain, hives, breathing difficulties, the sensation that you may be passing out, swelling of your lips, face, and tongue.
Mild effects
- Extreme stomach cramps, bloating, constipation, and constipation;
- Unusual bleeding—nosebleeds, bleeding gums, abnormal vaginal bleeding, any bleeding that will not stop, blood in your urine or stools, coughing up blood, or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;
- Issues with the liver, such as a loss of appetite, stomach pain on the right side, vomiting, anxiety, dark urine, clay-colored stool, jaundice (yellowing on the eyes or skin);
- Symptoms of signs of infection symptoms of infection include fever, chills, fever, headaches, and skin sores or burning after you pee;
- Indications that suggest symptoms of tuberculosis: cough, shortness of breath symptoms of tuberculosis: night sweats, weight loss, as well as feeling extremely fatigued;
- Symptoms of perforation (a tear or hole) within your stomach or intestines: fever, persistent stomach pains, and changes in your bowel habits.
Adverse side effects
- Nasal stuffiness or runny nose; sinus pain; sore throat;
- headache;
- Raised blood pressure
- Test results for abnormal liver function and
- Discomfort, swelling, burning, and irritation around the area after an injection.
This is not an exhaustive listing of all side effects. Other side effects could occur. Consult your physician to seek medical advice on the negative effects. The best way to report adverse reactions is to call the fda at 1-800-fda-1088.
Interaction with other drugs.
There are times when it's not recommended to take certain medicines simultaneously. Certain medications can alter the blood sugar levels of other medications that you are taking, which could create side effects or make the medication less effective.
Inform your physician about the other medications you take, particularly those that treat rheumatoid arthritis, for example:
- Abatacept
- Etanercept
- Anakinra
- Golimumab
- Certolizumab
- Infliximab
- Rituximab