PENTACARINAT

Drug Name: PENTACARINAT

PENTACARINAT DESCRIPTION:
PENTAMIDINE ISETHIONATE - INJECTION (pen-TAM-ih-deen eye-seh-THIGH-oh-nate)

COMMON PENTACARINAT BRAND NAME(S):
Pentacarinat, Pentam 300

PENTACARINAT SIDE EFFECTS:
PENTACARINAT may cause stomach upset, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, muscle aches or change in taste. Notify your doctor if you experience chills, skin rash or unusual bleeding or bruising. The site where the injection is given may become red and irritated. If the irritation continues or becomes worse, notify your doctor. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

HOW TO USE PENTACARINAT:
PENTACARINAT: PENTACARINAT is given by injection into a large muscle such as a buttock or hip, or diluted and slowly infused into a vein over 60 minutes. It is usually given once a day for 14 days. It is important that you use all the medication as directed. Stopping therapy too early can lead to a relapse of the infection.

PENTACARINAT USES:
PENTACARINAT is an anti-infective used to treat pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP).

PENTACARINAT PRECAUTIONS:
Tell your doctor if you have had, asthma, allergies, high or low blood pressure, diabetes, high or low blood sugar, anemia; heart, kidney, or liver disease; or if you are on a sodium(salt)-restricted diet, low sugar (diabetic) diet or other restricted diet. Pentamidine should be used only when clearly needed during pregnancy. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. It is not known if pentamidine is excreted into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

PENTACARINAT DRUG INTERACTIONS:
Tell your doctor of all prescription and nonprescription drugs you may use, especially of aminoglycosides (e.g., gentamicin, neomycin), amphotericin B, capreomycin, colistin, cisplatin, methoxyflurane, polymyxin B and vancomycin. Do not start or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.

PENTACARINAT OVERDOSE:
If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately.

PENTACARINAT NOTES:
Certain laboratory tests may be done periodically to monitor the effectiveness of PENTACARINAT. Make sure needles, tubing and supplies are stored safely and disposed of properly.

MISSED PENTACARINAT DOSE:
Contact your doctor.

PENTACARINAT STORAGE:
Refrigerate.