Dangerous Drug: Hydroxyurea(hye drox ee yoor ee’ a)
DroxiaDNC, Gen-Hydroxyurea (CAN)DNC, HydreaDNC
PREGNANCY CATEGORY D
Drug class
Antineoplastic
Therapeutic Actions
Cytotoxic: Inhibits an enzyme that is crucial for DNA synthesis, but exact mechanism of action is not fully understood.
Indications
Treatment of melanoma
Treatment of resistant chronic myelocytic leukemia (Hydrea)
Treatment of recurrent, metastatic, or inoperable ovarian cancer (Hydrea)
Concomitant therapy with irradiation for primary squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, excluding the lip
To reduce the frequency of painful crises and to reduce the need for blood transfusions in adult patients with sickle cell anemia (Droxia)
Unlabeled uses: Essential thrombocythemia, psoriasis, HIV treatment with didanosine
Contraindications and Cautions
Contraindicated in severe bone marrow suppression, allergy to hydroxyurea.
Use cautiously in patients with impaired hepatic and renal functions, mild to moderate bone marrow suppression, pregnancy, lactation.
Available Forms
CapsulesDNC—500 mg; capsulesDNC—200, 300, 400 mg (Droxia)
Dosages
Adults
Warning Base dosage on ideal or actual body weight, whichever is less. Interrupt therapy if WBC count falls below 2,500/mm3 or platelet count below 100,000/mm3. Recheck in 3 days and resume therapy when counts approach normal (Hydrea).
Solid tumors: Intermittent therapy: 80 mg/kg PO as a single dose every third day. Continuous therapy: 20–30 mg/kg PO as a single daily dose.
Concomitant therapy with irradiation: 80 mg/kg PO as a single daily dose every third day. Begin hydroxyurea 7 days before irradiation, and continue during and for a prolonged period after radiation therapy (Hydrea).
Resistant chronic myelocytic leukemia: 20–30 mg/kg PO as a single daily dose (Hydrea).
Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel
Full access? Get Clinical Tree
