Idarubicin can cause a decrease in the number of blood cells in your bone marrow. Idarubicin with prolonged use also can cause severe heart damage. Tell your doctor if you have had prior chemotherapy with daunorubicin, doxorubicin, or idarubicin. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: back pain, flushing, or chest tightness. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your response to idarubicin.
Your doctor has ordered the drug idarubicin to help treat your illness. The drug is given by injection into a vein.
acute myelocytic leukemia
This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Idarubicin is a type of antibiotic that is only used in cancer chemotherapy. It slows or stops the growth of cancer cells in your body. The length of treatment depends on the types of drugs you are taking, how well your body responds to them, and the type of cancer you have.
Idarubicin has been used to treat other types of leukemia. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your condition.
nausea and vomiting
loss of appetite
diarrhea
abdominal pain
thinned or brittle hair
fatigue
mouth blistering
unusual bruising or bleeding
pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site
persistent diarrhea or any change in normal bowel habits for more than 2 days
rash
fever
chills
dizziness
shortness of breath
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].
In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.
Last Reviewed - 04/01/2012
AHFS® Consumer Medication Information. © Copyright, 2012. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland. All Rights Reserved. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized by ASHP.