Albenza Drug Information

Breast-feeding—Albendazole passes into animal milk. It is not known if albendazole passes into human breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. If a mother taking this medicine wish to breast-feed, she should discuss it with her doctor.

Children—Although there is very little specific information comparing use of albendazole in children with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

Older adults—There are many medicines that have not been studied specifically in older people. Consequently, it may not be known if they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause other side effects or problems in elderly people. There is no specific information comparing use of albendazole in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines—Although some medicines should not be used together at all, there are cases when 2 different medicines maybe used together even if an interaction might occur. In such cases, your doctor may advise you to change the dose, or other precautions may be required. When you are taking albendazole, it is essential to tell your health care professional if you are taking any of the following:

• Cimetidine (e.g., Tagamet, Tagamet HB) or
• Corticosteroids (cortisone-like medicines) or
• Praziquantel (e.g., Biltricide)—Use of these medicines with albendazole has been shown to increase the effects of albendazole

Other medical problems—The existence of other medical problems may influence the use of /albendazole. You should tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, in particular::

• Cysticercosis involving the eye—Patients who are being treated with albendazole for pork tapeworms of the nervous system (neurocysticercosis) should be examined for lesions in the eye; use of albendazole may increase the chance of side effects involving the eye
• Liver disease—Patients with liver disease may have an increased chance of side effects

Proper Use of This Medicine

No special preparations (fasting, laxatives, or enemas) or other steps are necessary before, during, or immediately after treatment with albendazole.

Albendazole is best taken with meals, especially with food containing fat , to help your body absorb the medicine better.

For patients taking the tablet form of albendazole:

• Swallow the tablets whole with a small amount of liquid.

To help clear up your infection completely, take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor for the full time of treatment . In some infections, additional treatments with this medicine may be needed at 2-week intervals to clear up the infection completely. Do not miss any doses .

Dosing—The dose of albendazole will vary for different patients. Adhere to the orders of your doctor or the instructions on the label . The information below includes only the average doses of albendazole. If your dose differs, you should not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are taking albendazole .

• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For hydatid disease:
    • Adults, teenagers, and children weighing 60 kilograms (132 pounds) and over—400 milligrams (mg) two times a day for twenty-eight days. Treatment may need to be repeated in fourteen days.
    • Adults, teenagers, and children weighing less than 60 kilograms (132 pounds)—15 mg per kilogram (6.8 milligrams per pound) of body weight per day divided into two doses and taken for twenty-eight days. Treatment may need to be repeated in fourteen days.
  • For infections of the nervous system caused by pork tapeworm (neurocysticercosis):
    • Adults, teenagers, and children weighing 60 kilograms (132 pounds) and over—400 milligrams (mg) two times a day for eight to thirty days.
    • For adults, teenagers, and children weighing less than 60 kilograms (132 pounds)—15 mg per kilogram (6.8 mg per pound) of body weight per day divided into two doses and taken for eight to thirty days.

Missed dose—If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. You should not double doses.

Storage—To store this medicine properly, follow the instructions below:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
• Keep the suspension form of this medicine from freezing.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

Precautions While Using This Medicine

It is especially important that your doctor checks your progress after treatment. This is to make sure that the infection is cleared up completely, and to allow your doctor to check for any unwanted effects.

You should check with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after the full course of treatment or if they become worse.

For women of childbearing age, it is important that you use birth control while taking albendazole since this medicine can cause birth defects or other problems.

Side Effects of This Medicine

Alongside with its expected effects, any medicine may be the cause of some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may happen, if they do happen they may require medical attention.

Consult your doctor immediately if any of the side effects from the list below occur:

Other side effects that may occur generally do not require any medical attention. These side effects may disappear in the course of treatment as your body gets used to the medicine. Nevertheless, inform your doctor if any of the side effects below persist or became annoying:

Other side effects not mentioned above may also happen in some patients. If you notice any other effects, tell your doctor about it.

Additional Information

Once a drug has been approved for marketing for certain cases, experience may show that it can also be applied to treatment of some other medical problems. Although these uses are not included in product labeling in the U.S., albendazole is used in certain patients with the following infections:

• Capillariasis;
• Cutaneous larva migrans;
• Common roundworms (ascariasis);
• Hookworms (ancylostomiasis and necatoriasis);
• Pinworms (enterobiasis or oxyuriasis);
• Strongyloidiasis;
• Tapeworms (taeniasis);
• Trichostrongyliasis;
• Whipworms (trichuriasis).

For patients taking albendazole for hookworms :

• In hookworm infections, anemia may occur. Therefore, your doctor may want you to take iron supplements. If so, it is important to take iron every day while you are being treated for hookworm infection. Do not miss any doses. Your doctor may also want you to keep taking iron supplements for at least 3 to 6 months after you stop taking albendazole. If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor.

For patients taking albendazole for pinworms :

• In some patients, pinworms may return after treatment with albendazole. Wear pajamas and underwear to sleep, take a bath every day, and wash (not shake) all bedding and nightclothes (pajamas) after treatment to help prevent reinfection. Treatment may be repeated after 3 weeks.
• Pinworms may be easily passed from one person to another, especially among persons in the same household. Therefore, all household members may have to be treated at the same time to prevent their infection or reinfection.

There is no additional information concerning proper use, precautions, or side effects for these uses other than the above.