Sarilumab

What is Sarilumab?

Sarilumab is used for treating moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis in adults. Sarilumab can be prescribed along with arthritis medications.

Sarilumab is generally prescribed when other treatments have been unsuccessful.Sarilumab can also be employed for other purposes that are not covered in this medication guide.

Side effects of Sarilumab

Contact emergency medical assistance. If you exhibit symptoms that indicate an allergic reaction, such as chest pain, hives, breathing difficulty, and feeling as if you could be passing out, and swelling of your lips, face, tongue, throat, or face,

Sometimes fatal and serious infections could occur while using sarilumab. Stop taking sarilumab and consult your doctor immediately if you notice symptoms of infection, such as:

• Fever, chills, sweating, body aches;
• Cough with bloody mucus
• Experiencing a lack of breath;
• Diarrhea, stomach pain, weight loss;
• Itchy skin spots;
• Discomfort or burning sensation after you urinate,
• I am feeling extremely tired.

Contact your doctor immediately. If you notice symptoms of perforation (a tear or a hole) in the stomach or intestines:

• Fever;
• Ongoing stomach pain;
• Changes in the way you eat.

Common adverse effects of sarilumab could include:

• Runny or stuffy nose; sinus discomfort; sore throat;
• Abnormal tests of liver function;
• Uncomfortable urination;
• The skin, where the injection was administered.

This isn't an exhaustive list of possible side effects, and other side effects could occur. Contact your physician for advice regarding medical adverse effects. It is possible to report any adverse reactions to the FDA by calling 1-800-FDA-1088.

Similar or related drugs

Simponi, prednisone, ibuprofen, hydroxychloroquine, Humira, Enbrel, and Remicade

Warnings

Sarilumab influences the immune system. You could contract infections more often, including severe or fatal illnesses. Tell your doctor when you experience chills, fever, fatigue, or a cough. You may also experience stomach pain, diarrhea, skin sores, or a painful urinary tract.

Sarilumab could cause an ulcer within your stomach or the intestines. This is especially likely if you suffer from the condition of diverticulitis or a stomach ulcer or are also taking medications such as steroids, methotrexate, or an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication). Consult your physician immediately when you experience ongoing stomach discomfort.

Prior to use this drug

There is no need to take Sarilumab if there is an allergy to it.Inform your doctor if you have ever been diagnosed with tuberculosis or if someone within your household is suffering from tuberculosis. Inform your doctor if you have recently been on a trip. Tuberculosis and other fungal illnesses are more prevalent in certain regions around the globe, and you could have come into contact with them during your travels.

Tell your physician if you had any of the following:

• Active or chronic disease that is chronic or active;
• Diabetes;
• HIV or AIDS;
• An insufficient immune system;
• Hepatitis or other liver disorders;
• Diverticulitis, stomach pain, or ulcers of the stomach or the intestinal tract;
• Cancer
• If you've had or are planning to be given any vaccinations,

The use of sarilumab can increase the chance of getting certain types of cancer. Talk to your doctor about this possibility.It is unclear if it will harm a stillborn baby. Inform your doctor if you are expecting or planning to be pregnant.

If you're pregnant and you are a woman, your name could be added to an e-registry for pregnant women to track how sarilumab affects you as an infant.Breastfeeding is not recommended when using Sarilumab.

How to take Sarilumab?

Follow the directions on the prescription label and review all medication guides and instructions. Make sure you use the medication exactly as prescribed.Sarilumab is injected beneath the skin. It's usually given every two weeks. A doctor may show you the correct way to use the drug on your own.Be sure to read and adhere to any instructions that are included along with your medication. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor to clarify any instructions.

Make an injection only once you are ready to administer it. Don't use it when the medicine appears cloudy or contains particles. Consult your pharmacist about new medications.Sarilumab can affect the immune system. It is possible to contract infections more often, including severe or fatal infections. Your doctor should check your health on a regular basis.

Keep the medicine in the original, airtight container in a refrigerator. Be sure to keep it out of the sun. Avoid shaking or freezing the medication. Make sure the medicine is kept cold, even when you travel.

Before injecting the dose, remove the medicine from the refrigerator and allow it to be at room temperature (for 30 minutes if you are using the syringe that comes prefilled and for the full 60-minute period when using an injection pen). Once it's at room temperature, the medicine should be used in the next 14 days.

The syringe or injection pen is designed for only one use. Dispose of it after just one usage, regardless of whether there's still some medicine within.Dispose of used needles, syringes, or injection pens into a puncture-proof "sharps" container. Make sure you follow local or state laws regarding how to dispose of the container.Make sure it is out of pet's reach and away from children.

Details on dosage

Usual Adult Dose for Rheumatoid Arthritis:

200 mg subcutaneously once every two weeks
Comments:
The drug is available as monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate (MTX) or other traditional dmards.
Test patients for the presence of latent tuberculosis (TB). If the test is positive, think about taking action to treat TB prior to starting treatment.
Avoid using this drug in conjunction with biological dmards because of the potential for an increase in the risk of immunosuppression and infection. Also, concurrent use of biological dmards like TNF antagonists or IL-1R antagonists, as well as anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies or selective costimulation modulators, has not been thoroughly studied.
Avoid use in patients with active infections.
Use: To treat adults suffering from moderately to severe rheumatoid arthritis who have an ineffective response or are intolerant of one or more antirheumatic disease-modifying medications (dmards).

What happens if I miss the dose?

Consult your physician for guidance in case you missed a dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Get medical attention in an emergency or contact the poison help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What should be avoided?

Beware of those with illnesses or who suffer from infections. Inform your doctor immediately when you begin to show symptoms of an infection.

Don't get a "live" vaccine while using sarilumab, or you may get serious infections. Measles, rubella, mumps (MMR), and polio the typhoid virus, rotavirus, yellow fever, and varicella (chickenpox), as well as the zoster (shingles) and the nasal virus (influenza) vaccination.

Interaction with other drugs

It is sometimes not safe to take certain medicines simultaneously. Certain drugs may affect the blood levels of other medications that you take, which can cause more side effects or make the drugs less effective.

Inform your doctor about all the medications you take. There are many drugs that may affect sarilumab, including:

• Any other medications that treat rheumatoid joints, like abatacept, anakinra, and adalimumab Other options include certoli golimumab, etanercept infliximab, rituximab, tocilizumab, or tofacitinib.

This is not a complete list, and other drugs could influence sarilumab. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicine, vitamins, and herbal supplements. There are many possible interactions between drugs that are included here.