Adriamycin PFS (Doxorubicin hydrochloride) Drug Information: Overdosage and Contraindications

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May 23, 2012

Adriamycin PFS

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Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells anywhere in a body. The abnormal cells are termed cancer cells, malignant cells, or tumor cells. Many cancers and the abnormal cells that compose the cancer tissue are further identified by the name of the tissue that the abnormal cells originated from (for example, breast cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer). Cancer is not confined to humans; animals and other living organisms can get cancer. Below is a schematic that shows normal cell division and how when a cell is damaged or altered without repair to its system, the cell usually dies. Also shown is what can occur when such damaged or unrepaired cells do not die and become cancer cells and proliferate with uncontrolled growth; a mass of cancer cells develop. Frequently, cancer cells can break away from this original mass of cells, travel through the blood and lymph systems, and lodge in other organs where they can again repeat the ...

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Adriamycin PFS

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OVERDOSE

Acute overdosage with doxorubicin enhances the toxic effect of mucositis, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Treatment of acute overdosage consists of treatment of the severely myelosuppressed patient with hospitalization, antimicrobials, platelet transfusions and symptomatic treatment of mucositis. Use of hemopoietic growth factor (G-CSF, GM-CSF) may be considered. The 150 mg doxorubicin hydrochloride for injection and the 75 mL and 100 mL (2 mg/mL) doxorubicin hydrochloride injection vials are packaged as multiple dose vials and caution should be exercised to prevent inadvertent overdosage. Cumulative dosage with doxorubicin increases the risk of cardiomyopathy and resultant congestive heart failure (see WARNINGS). Treatment consists of vigorous management of congestive heart failure with digitalis preparations, diuretics, and after-load reducers such as ACE inhibitors.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Patients should not be treated with doxorubicin if they have any of the following conditions: baseline neutrophil count <1500 cells/mm³; severe hepatic impairment; recent myocardial infarction; severe myocardial insufficiency; severe arrhythmias; previous treatment with complete cumulative doses of doxorubicin, daunorubicin, idarubicin, and/or other anthracyclines and anthracenediones; or hypersensitivity to doxorubicin, any of its excipients, or other anthracyclines or anthracenediones. [See WARNINGS and DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION.]

Last reviewed on RxList: 9/11/2008
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.