Doxorubicin Side Effects

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Doxorubicin Review Questions and Answers

Trade Name:  Side effects of Lupron
Generic Names:  Side effects of Doxorubicin
 
Side effects of Lupron when given when given as a depot in ejection of 7.5 mg reported during the first 24 weeks of treatment:
Gastrointestinal Nausea and vomiting, Mucositis, Ulceration and necrosis of the colon
General Fever, chills, and urticaria, Conjunctivitis and lacrimation occur rarely.
Cardiac Irreversible myocardial toxicity, life-threatening or fatal congestive heart failure, may occur either during therapy or months to years after termination of therapy.
Vascular Phlebosclerosis
Connective Tissue Cellulitis, vesication and tissue necrosis will occur if extravasation of doxorubicin occurs
Hematologic Secondary acute myeloid leukemia with or without a preleukemic phase has been reported.
Dermatologic Reversible complete alopecia , Hyperpigmentation of nailbeds and dermal creases.
Pharmacology of Doxorubicin:
Question:
What is the lowest limit of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) that doxorubicin can be given?
Answer:
Because of the risk of cardiac toxicity, doxorubicin should not be given if the LVEF is 30% or less. At 30-
50% EF, the safety of administration of doxorubicin is a judgment call. Patients should be monitored with
serial echocardiograms and if the LVEF falls by > 10% or to 30%, then the doxorubicin should be
Question:
What is the dose above which delayed cardiac toxicity from doxorubicin is most likely to occur?
Answer:
Lifetime doses of < 400 mg/m2 are rarely associated with cardiac toxicity with and the maximum lifetime
dose of 550 mg/m2 is the most that should be given under normal circumstances
Question:
How is doxorubicin primarily excreted?
Answer:
Doxorubicin is primarily excreted in the bile, therefore dose reduction is indicated in the setting of liver