SANDIMMUNE® (cyclosporine A, CyA, or CsA)

Purpose:
SANDIMMUNE is used to prevent rejection of a transplanted organ. It is used for long-term (perhaps lifetime) immunosuppression.

How to take:

• Capsules - 25 mg, 50 mg, and 100 mg; liquid - 100 mg per mL (milliliter). If SANDIMMUNE is taken twice daily, doses should be 12 hours apart. A patient may be given IV SANDIMMUNE initially for a few days after transplantation.

• The liquid form will taste better if mixed with milk, chocolate milk, or orange juice. It can be mixed with a room-temperature liquid in a glass or hard plastic container and stirred with a metal spoon. Do not use a styrofoam container.

• The transplant team will determine proper dosage based on the patient's weight, blood levels, other laboratory tests, and the possible side effects of SANDIMMUNE.

Precautions:

• SANDIMMUNE is usually taken with corticosteroids, such as prednisone and azathioprine.

• The patient is likely to have frequent lab tests during the first few months to monitor the effectiveness and side effects of SANDIMMUNE.

• On a day when the SANDIMMUNE level is to be measured, a patient should not take his morning SANDIMMUNE dose until his blood has been drawn.

• Store SANDIMMUNE capsules below 77 º F; store liquid below 86º F. Do not leave SANDIMMUNE in the car or store it in a refrigerator or a bathroom medicine cabinet or exposed to direct light. Appropriate places to store this drug include the kitchen or the bedroom - away from heat, cold, moisture, and children.

• An open bottle of SANDIMMUNE is good for 2 months. The capsule should not be removed from the wrapper until it is ready to be used.

• SANDIMMUNE interacts with many commonly used medications. Check with the transplant team before starting any new medications.

• The benefits of taking this medication if the patient is pregnant or breast feeding must be weighed against the potential hazards to her, her fetus, or her infant. She should consult her transplant team immediately if she thinks she's pregnant.

Principal side effects:
These include, but are not limited to, headaches, tremor, abnormal kidney function, high blood pressure, high potassium levels, excess hair growth, swelling or overgrowth of the gums, and sleep disturbances.