Mosby's 2014 Nursing Drug Reference (207 page)

Canada only   Side effects:
italics
= common;
bold
= life-threatening   
Nurse Alert

hydroxyurea (Rx)

(hye-drox′ee-yoo-ree-ah)

Droxia, Hydrea

Func. class.:
Antineoplastic, antimetabolite

Chem. class.:
Synthetic urea analog

Do not confuse:
hydroxyurea
/hydrOXYzine

ACTION:

Acts by inhibiting DNA synthesis without interfering with RNA or protein synthesis; incorporates thymidine into DNA, thereby causing direct damage to DNA strands; specific for S phase of cell cycle

USES:

Melanoma, chronic myelogenous leukemia, recurrent or metastatic ovarian cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, sickle cell anemia

Unlabeled uses:
Psoriasis, acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), astrocytoma, HIV, lung cancer, malignant glioma, polycythemia vera, thrombocytosis

CONTRAINDICATIONS:

Pregnancy (D), breastfeeding, hypersensitivity, leukopenia (<2500/mm
3
), thrombocytopenia (<100,000/mm
3
), anemia (severe)

Precautions:
Renal disease (severe), anemia, bone marrow suppression, dental disease, geriatric patients, HIV, hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, hyperuricemia, hypocalcemia, infection, infertility, IM injection, tumor lysis syndrome, vaccinations

 

Black Box Warning:

Requires an experienced clinician, secondary malignancy

DOSAGE AND ROUTES
Calculator
Ovarian cancer, malignant melanoma

• Adult:
PO
80 mg/kg as a single dose q3days or 20-30 mg/kg as a single dose daily

Ovarian cancer in combination with radiation

• Adult:
PO
80 mg/kg as a single dose q3days

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)/acute myelogenous leukemia (unlabeled)

• Adult:
PO
WBC >100,000/mm
3
, 50-75 mg/kg/day; WBC <100,000/mm
3
, 10-30 mg/kg/day; adjust for WBCs

• Child:
PO
10-20 mg/kg/day, adjust to hematologic response

Sickle cell anemia

• Adult:
PO
15 mg/kg/day, may increase by 5 mg/kg/day q12wk, max 35 mg/kg/day

Renal disease

• Adult:
CCr <59 ml/min use 50% of dose

Available forms:
Caps 200, 300, 400, 500 mg

Administer:

• 
Gloves should be worn when handling bottles or caps, including by caregivers, wash hands immediately and thoroughly

• 
Do not crush or chew caps; caps can be opened and contents mixed with water

• 
Antiemetic 30-60 min before product and prn

SIDE EFFECTS

CNS:
Headache, confusion, hallucinations, dizziness,
seizures

CV:
Angina, ischemia

GI:
Nausea, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, stomatitis, constipation,
hepatotoxicity,
pancreatitis

GU:
Increased BUN, uric acid, creatinine, temporary renal function impairment

HEMA:
Leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, megaloblastic erythropoiesis

INTEG:
Rash
, urticaria, pruritus, dry skin, facial erythema

META:
Hyperphosphatemia, hyperuricemia, hypocalcemia

MISC:
Fever, chills, malaise,
secondary cancers, tumor lysis syndrome

RESP:
Pulmonary fibrosis, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates

PHARMACOKINETICS

Readily absorbed when taken orally; peak level in 1-4 hr; degraded in liver; excreted in urine, almost totally eliminated within 24 hr; readily crosses blood-brain barrier; eliminated as CO
2
; terminal half-life 3.5-4.5 hr

INTERACTIONS

Increase:
pancreatitis/hepatotoxicity—didanosine, stavudine

Increase:
toxicity—radiation or other antineoplastics

Increase:
bleeding risk—NSAIDs, anticoagulants, thrombolytics, salicylates, platelet inhibitors

Increase:
uric acid levels—probenecid, sulfinpyrazone

• 
Do not use with live virus vaccines

• 
Do not use hematopoietic progenitor cells (sargramostim, filgrastim) 24 hr before or after antineoplastic

Drug/Lab Test

Increase:
BUN, creatinine, LFTs, uric acid

False increase:
urea, uric acid, lactic acid

Decrease:
Hgb, WBC, platelets

NURSING CONSIDERATIONS
Assess:

• 
Bone marrow suppression:
determine the hemoglobin concentration, total leukocyte count, and platelet count at least once a week during entire course; if the WBC is ≤2500/mm
3
or platelets are ≤100,000/mm
3
, interrupt Hydrea until the values rise significantly toward normal concentrations; if severe anemia occurs, manage it without interrupting Hydrea receipt; for Droxia, monitor blood counts q2wk and interrupt drug receipt if neutrophils are <2000/mm
3
, platelets are <80,000/mm
3
, hemoglobin is <4.5 g/dl, or reticulocytes are <80,000/mm
3
when the hemoglobin concentration is <9 g/dl; after recovery, Droxia may be resumed at lower dosage; Droxia therapy requires an experienced clinician knowledgeable in the use of this medication for the treatment of sickle cell anemia

• 
Renal studies: BUN, serum uric acid, urine CCr, electrolytes before, during therapy

• 
Tumor lysis syndrome;
hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, hyperuricemia, hypocalcemia; uric acid nephropathy, acute renal failure, metabolic acidosis can also occur; aggressive alkalinization of urine, allopurinol can prevent this

• 
I&O ratio; report fall in urine output to <30 ml/hr

• 
Monitor temp; fever may indicate beginning infection

• 
Hepatic studies before, during therapy: bilirubin, alk phos, AST, ALT, LDH; prn or q mo

• 
Cutaneous vasculitic toxicity and gangrene:
more common in those who are receiving interferon

• 
Bleeding:
hematuria, guaiac, bruising or petechiae, mucosa or orifices q8hr

• 
Buccal cavity for dryness, sores or ulceration, white patches, oral pain, bleeding, dysphagia

• 
Pulmonary reactions:
assess for pulmonary fibrosis, fever, dyspnea, diffuse pulmonary infiltrates

• 
Symptoms indicating severe allergic reaction:
rash, urticaria, itching, flushing

• 
Neurotoxicity:
headaches, hallucinations, seizures, dizziness

Perform/provide:

• 
Rinsing of mouth tid-qid with water, club soda; brushing of teeth bid-tid with soft brush or cotton-tipped applicators for stomatitis; use unwaxed dental floss

Evaluate:

• 
Therapeutic response: decreased tumor size, spread of malignancy

Teach patient/family:

• 
To report signs of infection: elevated temp, sore throat, flulike symptoms

• 
To report signs of anemia: fatigue, headache, faintness, SOB, irritability

• 
To report bleeding: to avoid use of razors, commercial mouthwash

• 
To avoid use of aspirin products, ibuprofen (thrombocytopenia)

• 
To avoid foods with citric acid, hot or rough texture if stomatitis is present

• 
To report stomatitis: any bleeding, white spots, ulcerations in the mouth; to examine mouth daily, report symptoms

• 
To notify prescriber if pregnancy is planned or suspected, pregnancy (D)

• 
To notify prescriber of fever, chills, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, bleeding, bruising; may indicate blood dyscrasias; mental status changes

Canada only   Side effects:
italics
= common;
bold
= life-threatening   
Nurse Alert

hydrOXYzine (Rx)

(hye-drox′i-zeen)

Vistaril

Func. class.:
Antianxiety/antihistamine/sedative/hypnotic, antiemetic

Chem. class.:
Piperazine derivative

Do not confuse:
hydrOXYzine
/hydrALAZINE
Vistaril
/Versed

ACTION:

Depresses subcortical levels of CNS, including limbic system, reticular formation; competes with H
1
-receptor sites

USES:

Anxiety preoperatively, post-operatively to prevent nausea, vomiting; to potentiate opioid analgesics; sedation; pruritus, ethanol withdrawal

Unlabeled uses:
Insomnia, allergic rhinitis, generalized anxiety disorder

CONTRAINDICATIONS:

Pregnancy 1st trimester, breastfeeding; hypersensitivity to this product or cetirizine; acute asthma

Precautions:
Pregnancy (C) (2nd/3rd trimester), geriatric patients, debilitated, renal/hepatic disease, closed-angle glaucoma, COPD, prostatic hypertrophy, asthma

DOSAGE AND ROUTES
Calculator
Anxiety

• Adult:
PO
50-100 mg qid, max 600 mg/day;
IM
50-100 mg q4-6hr

• Geriatric:
PO
max 50 mg/day

• Child
>
6 yr:
PO
50-100 mg/day in divided doses

• Child
<
6 yr:
PO
50 mg/day in divided doses

Alcohol withdrawal

• Adult:
IM
50-100 mg q4-6hr

Preoperatively/postoperatively (nausea/vomiting)

• Adult:
IM
25-100 mg q4-6hr

• Child:
IM
1.1 mg/kg as a single dose

Pruritus

• Adult:
PO
25 mg tid-qid;
IM
50-100 mg then q4-6hr prn, switch to
PO
as soon as feasible

• Child

6 yr:
PO
50-100 mg/day in divided doses;
IM
0.5-1 mg/kg/dose q4-6hr prn, use
PO
when possible

• Child
<
6 yr:
PO
50 mg/day in divided doses

Insomnia (unlabeled)

• Adult:
PO
50-100 mg 30-60 min before bedtime;
IM
50 mg 30-60 min before bedtime

Renal dose

• Adult:
PO
CCr <50 ml/min, give 50% of dose

Available forms:
Tabs 10, 25, 50 mg; caps 25, 50, 100 mg; oral sol 10 mg/ 5 ml; inj 25, 50 mg/ml; oral susp 25 mg/ 5 ml

Administer:
PO route

• 
Without regard to meals

• 
Crushed if patient is unable to swallow medication whole

• 
Shake oral susp before giving

IM route

• 
Does not need to be diluted; give by
Z
-track inj in large muscle to decrease pain, chance of necrosis, never give IV/SUBCUT (HCI)

Additive compatibilities:
CISplatin, cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, dimenhyDRINATE, etoposide, lidocaine, mesna, methotrexate, nafcillin

Syringe compatibilities:
Atropine, butorphanol, chlorproMAZINE, cimetidine, codeine, diphenhydrAMINE, doxapram, droperidol, fentaNYL, fluPHENAZine, glycopyrrolate, HYDROmorphone, lidocaine, meperidine, metoclopramide, midazolam, morphine, nalbuphine, oxymorphone, pentazocine, perphenazine, procaine, prochlorperazine, scopolamine, SUFentanil

SIDE EFFECTS

CNS:
Dizziness, drowsiness
, confusion, headache, tremors, fatigue, depression,
seizures

CV:
Hypotension

GI:
Dry mouth, increased appetite, nausea, diarrhea, weight gain

PHARMACOKINETICS

PO:
Onset 15-60 min, duration 4-6 hr, half-life 3 hr, metabolized by liver, excreted by kidneys

INTERACTIONS

Increase:
CNS depressant effect—barbiturates, opioids, analgesics, alcohol, sedative/hypnotics, other CNS depressants

Increase:
anticholinergic effects—phenothiazines, quiNIDine, disopyramide, antihistamines, antidepressants, atropine, haloperidol, MAOIs

Drug/Lab Test

False negative:
skin allergy testing

False increase:
17-hydroxycorticosteroids

NURSING CONSIDERATIONS
Assess:

• 
Anticholinergic effects: dry mouth, dizziness, confusion, hypotension, increased sedation; monitor B/P

Perform/provide:

• 
Assistance with ambulation during beginning therapy, since drowsiness, dizziness occurs

Evaluate:

• 
Therapeutic response: decreased anxiety

Teach patient/family:

• 
To avoid OTC preparations (cold, cough, hay fever) unless approved by prescriber

• 
To avoid driving, activities that require alertness

• 
To avoid alcohol, psychotropic medications

• 
Not to discontinue medication quickly after long-term use

• 
To rise slowly because fainting may occur

TREATMENT OF OVERDOSE:

Lavage if orally ingested; VS, supportive care; IV norepinephrine for hypotension

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