Femara

Femara is the medicine relating to group of antagonists of hormones and antineoplastic hormonal means. It is used for treatment of malignant new growths of a mammary gland.

Pharmacological action of Femara

Femara has the expressed anti-oestrogenic effect, blocking synthesis of estrogen, both in the most tumoral fabric, and in peripheral fabrics. Daily administration of drug promotes decrease in concentration of estrone of sulfate, estrone and oestradiol in blood of patients for 75 – 95% of initial level.

In the instruction to Femara it is noted that administration of drug in therapeutic doses does not lead to synthesis disturbance by adrenal glands of steroid hormones. Therefore this medicine does not demand additional purpose of mineralokortikoid and glucocorticoids.

Femara does not lead to change of contents in a blood plasma of concentration of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones, does not cause disturbances of functions of a thyroid gland, and also does not increase risk of development of strokes, a myocardial infarction and osteoporosis.

According to Femar, applied to performing adjuvant (auxiliary) therapy of early stages of a breast cancer, significantly reduces risk of further progressing of a disease and increases five-year survival of patients without symptoms of a disease. Femara allows to reduce by 40% mortality among patients at whom in pathological process were involved lymph nodes.

Femara is quickly soaked up from digestive tract. Meal practically does not influence its bioavailability. The maximum content in blood is reached later 1 – 2 hour after acceptance of a tablet.

It is removed generally in the form of metabolites by kidneys. Only an insignificant part of drug is removed through intestines.

Indications

Drug is used for performing adjuvant therapy of early stages of malignant new growths of mammary glands at the women who are in the postmenopause period (natural or caused artificially). Also Femara can be used for performing therapy of the first line at the women in a postmenopause suffering from the dependent forms of cancer of mammary glands extended hormonal.

There are numerous analogs of Femara which have just the same indications.

Application instruction

Drug is recommended to be accepted on 1 tablet (2,5 mg) during very long time once a day. The prolonged adjuvant therapy can continue up to five years.

If there are progressing signs, then treatment should be stopped immediately.

Femar's pill can be taken at any time and regardless of meal.

Contraindications

• Pregnancy and period of a lactation;
• Children's and teenage age;
• Endocrine status of the woman characteristic of the reproductive period.

Pregnancy and lactation

Femara is categorically contraindicated during pregnancy and a lactation. Therefore when using this means at the women who are in the period of a perimenopauza or in the early postmenopauzny period it is necessary to recommend them reliable methods of contraception.

Side effects of Femara

According to Femar can lead to development of side reactions from various bodies and systems:

• Digestive tract – dyspepsia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or a lock, stomatitis, increase in activity of transaminases;
• Nervous system – dizzinesses and a headache, nervousness, irritability, depressions, passing disturbances of cerebral circulation;
• The hemopoietic system – development of a leukopenia;
• Cardiovascular system – tachycardia, increase in arterial pressure, thrombophlebitis;
• Dermatological reactions – skin rash, an itch, the increased perspiration, an alopecia, a Quincke's disease;
• Musculoskeletal system – a mialgiya, an arthralgia, osteoporosis.

According to Femar very often leads to emergence of inflows (pristupoobrazny feeling of heat), increased fatigue, increase in body weight.

Special instructions

Femara has to be appointed carefully to the patients suffering from heavy abnormal liver functions. Some side effects of this drug (dizziness, the general weakness, etc.) can exert impact on performance of the work demanding speed of reaction and the increased concentration of attention.

Overdose

At accidental or deliberate reception of a high dose of drug of Femar it is necessary to ask for medical care immediately. Specific antidotes are not known therefore for treatment of poisoning the supporting and symptomatic therapy is carried out. In the instruction to Femara it is noted that it is possible to accelerate a drug conclusion from an organism of patients using a hemodialysis.

Structure, form of release and Femara's packaging

Femara is issued in the tablets having the biconvex form and film coated yellow color. On one party of a tablet "CG", and on another – "FV" is printed.

Each tablet contains 2,5 mg of active agent. As excipients are used: titanium dioxide, dye iron oxide yellow, macrogoal 8000, talc, gipromelloza, magnesium stearate, silicon dioxide colloid, sodium carboxymethylstarch, corn starch, microcrystallic cellulose, monohydrate of lactose.

Tablets are packed into blisters on 10 pieces. In one cardboard pack – 3 blisters.

Femara's analogs

Now in drugstores the medicines similar in the action to Femara are on sale. Treat them: Etruzil, Ekstraza, Oreta, Neksazol, Letrotera, Letrosan, Letrozol-Teva, Letroza, Letrodeks. In spite of the fact that all analogs of Femara actually possess the same pharmacological action better after all to accept that drug which is appointed to you by the doctor. In case of its absence in pharmacy chain consult with the specialist in a question of possible replacement.

Conditions and periods of storage

Femara treats the list B and is released from drugstores only according to the recipe of the doctor. Drug should be stored in the dry cool place unavailable to children. A period of validity – five years. After expiry date drug is forbidden to be used.