Suramin (Injection)
Uses for suramin
Suramin is used in the treatment of African sleeping sickness (African trypanosomiasis) and river blindness (onchocerciasis), infections caused by parasites. Suramin works by causing the parasites to lose energy, which causes their death.
Suramin may cause serious side effects. Before you begin treatment with suramin, you and your doctor should talk about the good suramin will do as well as the risks of receiving it.
Suramin is administered in the hospital only by or under the immediate supervision of your doctor.
Before using suramin
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For suramin, the following should be considered:
Allergies
Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to suramin or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.
Pediatric
Suramin can cause serious side effects in any patient. Therefore, it is especially important that you discuss with the child's doctor the good that suramin may do as well as the risks of receiving it.
Geriatric
Elderly people are especially sensitive to the effects of suramin. This may increase the chance of side effects during treatment.
Breastfeeding
There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.
Interactions with medicines
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
Interactions with food/tobacco/alcohol
Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.
Other medical problems
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of suramin. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Kidney disease or
- Liver disease—Patients with kidney or liver disease may have an increased chance of side effects
Proper use of suramin
To help clear up your infection completely, you must receive suramin on a regular schedule for the full time of treatment. It is also necessary for you to receive suramin in the hospital so your doctor can check on your condition.
Dosing
The dose of suramin will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of suramin. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine...
