The side effects and mitigation methods of Macitentan
Macitentan, as an endothelin receptor antagonist, is mainly used for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Its side effects involve multiple systems such as the blood system, liver, and cardiovascular system. The following provides a detailed explanation from three aspects: management of serious side effects, alleviation of common side effects, and special precautions.
1. Serious side effects requiring immediate medical attention
(1) Abnormal liver function: If jaundice, darkened urine color, or clay like stool appears, medication should be stopped immediately and transaminase levels should be tested.
(2) Anemia related symptoms: Blood transfusion support is required when hemoglobin drops to<8g/dL accompanied by palpitations, pallor, or extreme fatigue.
(3) Pulmonary edema: sudden dyspnea with pink foam sputum needs urgent diuretic treatment.
2. Common self relieving side effects
(1) Nasopharyngitis: Rinse the nasal cavity with physiological saline three times a day and maintain an ambient humidity of 50% -60%.
(2) Headache: Apply cold compress to the forehead, avoid caffeine intake, and seek medical attention if it persists for more than 48 hours.
(3) Limb edema: Wear elastic socks during the day and raise the lower limbs 15-20 centimeters at night.
3. Key preventive measures
(1) Blood monitoring: Hemoglobin levels should be measured before treatment and monthly, and if the decrease is greater than 2g/dL, the dosage should be reduced.
(2) Contraceptive requirements: Women are required to use dual contraception for one month after discontinuing the medication.
(3) Drug interactions: Combination use of strong CYP3A4 inducers such as rifampicin is prohibited.
4. Precautions for special populations
(1) Liver dysfunction: Not recommended for patients with Child Pugh classification B/C.
(2) Women of childbearing age: Before treatment, a pregnancy test must be completed to confirm a negative result.
(3) Elderly patients: It is necessary to strengthen fall prevention measures and be alert to orthostatic hypotension.
Disclaimer：《The side effects and mitigation methods of Macitentan》Edited and sorted by Seagull Pharmacy's editors. Please contact us in time if there is any infringement. In addition, the suggestions for drug usage, dosage and disease mentioned in the article are only for medical staff's reference, and can not be used as any basis for medication！