Acthrel

Acthrel is an injectable drug which is given as a test for the identification of Cushing syndrome.

It is a prescription drug available in the form of powder for making solution.

Your doctor will inform you of what you need to know before using . The patient is the authoritative figure when it comes to any medical procedure or any drug therapy. It is important for the patient to know all the details about the drug and then start using it.

Doctor also has a duty to bring out answers from the patient which play an important role in treatment like history, any allergy or any medical condition the patient has. For this purpose, it is important to have a detailed session between the patient and the physician before starting this drug to sort out all the details.

Detailed history of a patient is extremely important prior to any medical therapy and in this case, it is more likely that a drug be started after it. Allergies or any history of allergy to any drug, food, preservatives, dyes or animal products; history of drug usage, past medical or surgical procedure should also be kept in record to predict any drug interaction.

Physical examination should be done before starting this drug so that any physiological or pathological condition with which this drug may interfere may be ruled out.

Age specific analysis is vital to have information about side effects in different age groups. Studies have revealed that this drug is not associated with any special effect in elderly or children which would limit its usefulness. There are not enough studies done in pregnant and breastfeeding women to predict its usefulness or harms.

Drug interactions are the effects on the therapy or the condition for which the drug is used by other drugs used concomitantly. It is necessary that no drug be started without consulting a physician as other drugs may cause alteration in the effect of this drug or its removal from the body.

Patient should also be counselled about effects of alcohol and tobacco on the patient as these may cause severe interactions.

Acthrel is given only in a hospital setting by a trained nurse.

Solution is made from the powder which is then inserted into body through intravenous route.

In using Acthrel, you must be careful and take some precautions as advised by your doctor. Precautions are the part and parcel of any treatment and patient must adhere to these to improve the outcome.

It is the duty of the doctor or any medical care provider to make the patient aware about these tips as an aid to the therapy.

• Regular checkup is necessary to look for the progress of the treatment.
• Blood tests can be done to check for side effects.
• Allergic reaction can occur by this drug and patient should consult the doctor if there is any sign.
• Do not start any other drug, prescription or non-prescription, without consulting your physician.

As with many medications, there are several potential side effects associated with Acthrel. There is no drug in the world which is without its unwanted effects. Some drugs are relatively safe for use while for some drugs, the patient should be cautious as these drugs may cause more harm than good.

Patient should always get medical help in case of any adverse effect, no matter how trivial it is.

Some rare side effects resulted by this drug include:

• Difficult or labored breathing
• Feeling of warmth
• Hives or welts
• Itching
• Redness of the skin
• Chest tightness

Overdose may lead to severe difficulty in breathing and redness of face.