Darbepoetin Alfa Brand Name– Aranesp
What is Darbepoetin Alfa
Darbepoetin alfa is an erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA). It is indicated for the treatment of anemia due to chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients aged 1 month or older or due to the myelosuppressive effects of chemotherapy in adult patients.
Darbepoetin alfa is not indicated as a substitute for red blood cell transfusions in patients who require immediate correction of anemia.
It is also not indicated in patients with cancer who are receiving hormonal agents, biologic products, or radiotherapy (unless they are also receiving concomitant myelosuppressive chemotherapy); myelosuppressive chemotherapy when the anticipated outcome is cure; or myelosuppressive chemotherapy in whom the anemia could be managed by transfusion.
ESAs may increase the risk of death, serious adverse cardiovascular reactions, and stroke in CKD patients who achieve a hemoglobin concentration more than 11 g/dL. ESAs may shorten the overall survival time and increase the risk of tumor progression or recurrence in patients with cancer.
Therefore, use the lowest darbepoetin alfa dose needed to reduce the need for red blood cell transfusions.
Indications
- anemia
- anemia of prematurity
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- anaphylactoid reactions
- anemia
- angina
- angioedema
- antibody formation
- bronchospasm
- cough
- dyspnea
- edema
- encephalopathy
- erythema
- erythema multiforme
- heart failure
- hypertension
- hypotension
- injection site reaction
- intracranial bleeding
- myocardial infarction
- peripheral edema
- pulmonary embolism
- rash
- red cell aplasia
- seizures
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- stroke
- thromboembolism
- thrombosis
- toxic epidermal necrolysis
- urticaria
- vitamin B6 deficiency
Monitoring Parameters
- CBC
- ferritin
- hemoglobin/hematocrit
- serum electrolytes
- serum iron
- serum uric acid
- transferrin
Contraindications
- anemia
- angina
- anticoagulant therapy
- breast-feeding
- cardiac disease
- coagulopathy
- coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG)
- cystic fibrosis
- dialysis
- folate deficiency
- geriatric
- heart failure
- hematological disease
- hemoglobin concentration greater than 11 g/dl
- hyperkalemia
- hyperparathyroidism
- hypersplenism
- hypertension
- infection
- iron-deficiency anemia
- latex hypersensitivity
- leukemia
- mortality
- myocardial infarction
- neoplastic disease
- osteitis
- porphyria
- pregnancy
- red cell aplasia
- renal failure
- renal impairment
- seizure disorder
- seizures
- sickle cell disease
- stroke
- thalassemia
- thromboembolism
- vitamin B12 deficiency
Interactions
- Androgens
- Danazol
- Esterified Estrogens; Methyltestosterone
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone Acetate; Ferrous fumarate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone; Ferrous fumarate
- Ferric carboxymaltose
- Ferumoxytol
- Fluoxymesterone
- Iron
- Iron – Injectable Only
- Iron Dextran
- Iron Salts
- Iron Sucrose, Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide
- Lenalidomide
- Methyltestosterone
- Nandrolone Decanoate
- Oxandrolone
- Oxymetholone
- Peginesatide
- Polysaccharide-Iron Complex
- Prasterone, Dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA (Dietary Supplements)
- Prasterone, Dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA (FDA-approved)
- Sodium Ferric Gluconate Complex; ferric pyrophosphate citrate
- Testolactone
- Testosterone
- Thalidomide
