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Meglumine antimoniate

Uses for meglumine antimoniate

Meglumine antimoniate belongs to the group of medicines called antiprotozoals. Meglumine antimoniate is used to treat an infection called leishmaniasis (Bay sore or chiclero ulcer, espundia, kala-azar or black sickness, Oriental sore, ulcera de Bejuco, uta), which is caused by protozoa (tiny, one-celled organisms).

Meglumine antimoniate should be administered by or under the supervision of your doctor.

Before using meglumine antimoniate

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For meglumine antimoniate, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to meglumine antimoniate or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Although there is no specific information comparing use of meglumine antimoniate in children with use in other age groups, meglumine antimoniate is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

Geriatric

Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of meglumine antimoniate in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Interactions with medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Interactions with food/tobacco/alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Proper use of meglumine antimoniate

To help clear up your infection completely, meglumine antimoniate is based on its amount of pentavalent antimony and must be given for the full time of treatment and on a regular schedule.

Dosing

The dose of meglumine antimoniate will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of meglumine antimoniate. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

For injection dosage form:
- For leishmaniasis (Bay sore or chiclero ulcer, espundia, kala-azar or black sickness, Oriental sore, ulcera de Bejuco, uta):
  - Adults and children—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. The usual dose is 20 milligrams (mg) of pentavalent antimony in meglumine antimoniate per kilogram (kg) (9.09 mg per pound) of body weight per day injected into a muscle for twenty to twenty-eight days. This treatment may be repeated or continued as needed. If your infection is not severe and involves only your skin, then your doctor may decide to just inject the medicine into the skin lesion. The dose will also be determined by your doctor.

Precautions while using meglumine antimoniate

It is important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits. This is to help make sure that the infection is cleared up completely.

If your symptoms become worse, check with your doctor .

Meglumine antimoniate side effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

Fever
irregular heartbeat
nausea
pain in the upper abdominal area and back
vomiting

Rare

Changes in skin color of the face
chills
cough or hoarseness
decreased amount and frequency of urination
difficulty in breathing, such as fast or irregular breathing, shortness of breath, tightness in chest, and/or wheezing
fainting or loss of consciousness
husky voice
puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes
skin rash and/or itching
swelling of the face
unusual tiredness or weakness

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them: