Consumer Medicine Information
EMEND IV™
fosaprepitant dimeglumine
Intravenous
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about EMEND IV. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking EMEND IV against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.
What EMEND IV is used for
Your doctor has prescribed EMEND IV for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with your cancer chemotherapy treatment.
How EMEND IV works
EMEND IV is a member of a class of medicines called neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor antagonists that is used ALONG WITH OTHER MEDICINES to prevent and control nausea (sick feeling in the back of throat and stomach) and vomiting (throwing up) caused by your cancer chemotherapy treatment.
Before you take EMEND IV
When you must not take it
Do not take EMEND IV if:
- you have an allergy to EMEND IV or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
- the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering
- the expiry date on the pack has passed.
If you take this medicine after the expiry date has passed, it may not work.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking EMEND IV, talk to your doctor.
EMEND IV has not been adequately studied in children. Therefore, EMEND IV should not be given to children.
EMEND IV works equally well in and is equally well-tolerated by older and younger adult patients. No dosage adjustment is necessary for older patients.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if:
- you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant
- you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed
- you have any past or present medical problems
- you have any allergies.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you take any EMEND IV.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including medicines that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Do not take EMEND IV with pimozide, terfenadine, astemizole, or cisapride. Taking EMEND IV with these medications could result in serious or life-threatening problems.
Your doctor may check that your medicines are working properly together if you are taking other medicines such as:
- anti-anxiety drugs (such as alprazolam)
- birth control medicines (which may not work as well)
- warfarin (a blood thinner)
- ketoconazole (an antifungal)
- rifampin (an antibiotic)
- paroxetine (a medicine used to treat a certain type of depression)
- diltiazem (a medicine used to treat high blood pressure)
- tolbutamide (a medicine used to treat diabetes)
- phenytoin (a medicine used to treat seizures)
Your doctor has more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking EMEND IV.
How to take EMEND IV
How much to take and when to take it
EMEND IV is given intravenously on Day 1 only of a 3-day regimen. The recommended dose of EMEND IV is 115 mg given intravenously 30 minutes before you start your chemotherapy treatment and one 80 mg capsule of EMEND® (aprepitant) each morning for the 2 days following your chemotherapy treatment.
If you take too much (overdose)
If you receive more than the prescribed dosage, contact your doctor immediately. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
While you are using EMEND IV
Things you must do
If you become pregnant while taking EMEND IV, tell your doctor immediately.
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking EMEND IV.
Things to be careful of
There have been side effects reported with EMEND IV that may affect your ability to drive or operate machinery. Individual responses to EMEND IV may vary. (See Adverse Effects.)
Things that would be helpful to manage your nausea and vomiting
While good nutrition is important for everyone, it is especially important for people on chemotherapy. Small, frequent meals or eating a snack before your chemotherapy treatment may also help you tolerate it better. Talk to your healthcare professional for further information.
Adverse Effects
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking EMEND IV.
EMEND IV helps most people with nausea and vomiting associated with cancer chemotherapy treatment, but it may have unwanted adverse effects in a few people. All medicines can have adverse effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the adverse effects.
Ask your doctor to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor if you notice or have any of the following and they worry you:
- injection site pain
- hardening of the site of injection
- hiccups
- fatigue
- constipation
- headache
- loss of appetite
These are usually the mild adverse effects of EMEND IV.
Also, tell your doctor if you notice:
- dizziness
- diarrhoea
- indigestion
- belching
Your doctor may find an increase in some of your blood tests (eg ALT & AST).
These are other adverse effects that have been reported with EMEND IV.
Other adverse effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. Tell your doctor if you notice any other effects.
The following side effects have been reported in general use with oral EMEND:
- Allergic reactions, which may be serious, and may include hives, rash and itching and cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing. If you have an allergic reaction, stop taking EMEND and call your doctor right away.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible adverse effects. You may not experience any of them.
Product description
What it looks like
EMEND IV comes as a solid white to off white cake in a 10 mL vial. It is reconstituted with a diluent to make a solution suitable for injection.
Ingredients
Active ingredient:
EMEND IV for CINV intravenous administration contains 115 mg of fosaprepitant.
Inactive ingredients:
- edetate disodium
- polysorbate 80 (57.5 mg)
- lactose anhydrous
- sodium hydroxide and/or hydrochloric acid (for pH adjustment)
Manufacturer/Supplier
EMEND IV is marketed in New Zealand by:
Merck Sharp & Dohme (New Zealand) Limited
P O Box 99 851
Newmarket
Auckland
NEW ZEALAND
Tel: 0800 500 673
This leaflet was prepared in May 2008
CP-EMV-0408(020508)
™ Trademark of Merck & Co Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, 08889 USA
Copyright© 2007 Merck & Co., Inc.
® Registered trademark of Merck & Co Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ,
08889 USA
Copyright© 2007 Merck & Co., Inc.