What is abatacept?
Abatacept is a man-made protein that prevents your body's immune system from attacking healthy tissues such as joints. Abatacept is used to treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, to slow the progression of joint damage, and to improve physical function. Abatacept is usually given after other arthritis medications have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms. Abatacept is sometimes given together with other arthritis medications. Abatacept may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
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What are the possible side effects of abatacept?
Some people receiving an abatacept injection have had a reaction to the infusion
(within 1 hour of when the medicine is injected into the vein). Tell your caregiver right away if
you feel dizzy, itchy, light-headed, or numb, or if you have a severe headache, blurred vision,
trouble concentrating, chest pain, chest tightness, or trouble breathing.
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic
reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
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fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
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easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
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night sweats, weight loss;
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a wound that won't heal;
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burning or pain when you urinate;
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wheezing, cough, or other breathing problems;
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skin rash, itching, or flushing (redness or warmth under
your skin); or
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feeling like you might pass out.
Less serious side effects may include:
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell
your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.
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How is abatacept given?
Abatacept is given as an injection into a vein. Your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional will give you this medicine through an IV needle. Abatacept is given slowly and it will take at least 30 minutes for you to receive the entire dose. Before you receive abatacept, your doctor may require you to have a skin test to make sure you do not have tuberculosis. This medication comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.
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What is the most important information I should know about abatacept?
Before receiving abatacept, tell your doctor if you have ever had tuberculosis or any other breathing disorder, or if you have any type of infection. Before you receive this medication, your doctor may require you to have a skin test to make sure you do not have tuberculosis. It may be easier for you to get sick or have infections while you are receiving abatacept. Avoid being near people who are sick. Tell your doctor at once if you develop any type of infection, including flu symptoms, or if you have wheezing, coughing, or other breathing problems, or a wound that will not heal.
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What happens if I miss a dose?
Call your doctor if you miss an appointment for your abatacept injection.
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What other drugs will affect abatacept?
There may be other drugs that can affect abatacept. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?
Abatacept has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Animal studies have failed to reveal evidence of teratogenicity or fetotoxicity. Abatacept crosses the placenta. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Abatacept is only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk.
Rats treated with abatacept every three days during early gestation throughout the lactation period showed no adverse effects in the offspring at doses up to 45 mg/kg (3-fold a human 10 mg/kg dose based on AUC). At a dose of 200 mg/kg (11-fold a human 10 mg/kg dose based on AUC) alterations of immune function consisted of a 9-fold increase in the T-cell dependent antibody response in female pups and inflammation of the thyroid in one female pup out of 10 males and 10 females evaluated. It has not been determined if these findings indicate a risk for development of autoimmune diseases in humans exposed in utero to abatacept.
There are no data on the excretion of abatacept into human milk. The manufacturer recommends that due to the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, including possible effects on the developing immune system, a decision should be made to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
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Who should NOT use this medication?
Known hypersensitivity to abatacept or any ingredient in the formulation.
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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of an abatacept overdose are not known.
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What should I discuss with my health care provider before receiving abatacept?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to abatacept, or if you are also using any of the following other medications: anakinra (Kineret); etanercept (Enbrel); infliximab (Remicade); or adalimumab (Humira). If you are switching to abatacept from one of the medications listed above, watch for new signs of infection such as fever, chills, sore throat, flu symptoms, easy bruising or bleeding, or unusual weakness. If you develop any of these symptoms, call your doctor. Before receiving abatacept, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.
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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.
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Where can I get more information?
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