Leflunomide Orion
Leflunomide Orion is a medicine used to treat active rheumatoid arthritis or active psoriatic arthritis in adults.
Form
tabletti, kalvopäällysteinen
Strength
20 mg
Active Ingredient
Leflunomide
Manufacturer
Orion Corporation
How to Use
Dosage
The usual starting dose is 100 mg once a day for the first three days. After that, for rheumatoid arthritis, the dose is 10 or 20 mg once a day, and for psoriatic arthritis, it is 20 mg once a day.
Method
Swallow the tablet whole with enough water. The tablet can be divided if you have trouble swallowing it.
Important
After the initial three days, the maximum daily dose for ongoing treatment is 20 mg.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Slightly decreased white blood cell count (leukopenia)
- •Mild allergic reactions
- •Loss of appetite, weight loss (usually not significant)
- •Fatigue (weakness)
- •Headache, dizziness
- •Abnormal skin sensations like tingling (paresthesia)
- •Mild increase in blood pressure
- •Colitis (inflammation of the colon)
- •Diarrhea
- •Nausea, vomiting
- •Stomatitis or mouth ulcers
- •Abdominal pain
- •Increase in certain liver enzyme values
- •Increased hair loss
- •Eczema, dry skin, rash, itching
- •Tendonitis (pain caused by inflammation of the membrane around tendons, usually in legs or arms)
- •Increase in certain blood enzymes (creatine phosphokinase)
- •Nerve problems in the hands or feet (peripheral neuropathy)
RARE
- •Decreased red blood cell count (anemia) and decreased platelet count (thrombocytopenia)
- •Decreased potassium levels in blood
- •Anxiety
- •Taste disturbances
- •Hives (urticaria)
- •Achilles tendon rupture
- •Increased blood fat levels (cholesterol and triglycerides)
- •Decreased phosphate levels in blood
- •Increased eosinophils, mild decrease in white blood cells (leukopenia), and decrease in all blood cells (pancytopenia)
- •Severely high blood pressure
- •Lung inflammation (interstitial lung disease)
- •Increased liver enzyme values which can lead to severe conditions such as hepatitis and jaundice
- •Severe infection called sepsis (blood poisoning), which can be life-threatening
- •Increase in certain blood enzymes (lactate dehydrogenase)
- •Significant decrease in certain white blood cells (agranulocytosis)
- •Severe and potentially serious allergic reactions
- •Blood vessel inflammation (vasculitis, including skin vasculitis)
- •Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- •Severe liver damage, such as liver failure or necrosis, which can be fatal
- •Severe, sometimes life-threatening reactions (Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme)
- •Kidney failure
- •Decreased uric acid levels in blood
- •Pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs)
- •Male infertility (decreased sperm count and motility), which is reversible after stopping the medicine
- •Cutaneous lupus (rash on sun-exposed skin), new or worsening psoriasis, DRESS syndrome, and skin ulcers (open wounds showing deeper tissue)
Important Warnings
- Do not take this medicine if you have ever had an allergic reaction to leflunomide, teriflunomide, or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Tell your doctor if you have severe liver or kidney problems, or if you have very low protein levels in your blood.
- Inform your doctor if you have a weakened immune system (like with AIDS) or if your bone marrow is not working well, causing low red or white blood cell counts or low platelets.
- Do not take this medicine if you have a serious infection.
- Do not use this medicine if you are pregnant, might be pregnant, or are breastfeeding, as it can harm the baby.
Show 4 more warnings
- Avoid drinking alcohol during treatment, as it can increase the risk of liver damage.
- This medicine can cause dizziness, which might affect your ability to concentrate or react. Do not drive or operate machinery if you feel dizzy or have impaired concentration.
- Your doctor will take regular blood tests to check your liver and blood cell counts during treatment.
- This medicine is not recommended for children and adolescents under 18 years of age.