Accretropin is an artificial growth hormone produced for the conditions in which there is less production of growth hormone or those which require more quantity of this hormone.
Somatotrophin (natural growth hormone) is produced by a pituitary gland and it is used for proper growth and metabolism.
Man–made growth hormone may be used in children and adult for treatment of various problems like growth hormone deficiency, chronic kidney disease, unexplained short stature, Noonan syndrome, Turner syndrome, short stature homeobox-containing gene (SHOX) deficiency and small for gestational age (SGA) with no increase in growth by age 2 to 4 years of age.
It is a prescription drug which is available in the form of powder and solution form.
Your doctor will inform you of what you need to know before using Accretropin. Any therapy has a prerequisite that the patient is informed about it and the patient has informed the doctor of all the doubts or problems.
An informed consent to any treatment method or drug initiation is taken from the patient after a detailed session of doctor-patient interaction.
Detailed history of a patient is extremely important prior to any medical therapy and in this case, it is more likely that a drug is started after it.
Allergies or any history of allergy to any drug, food, preservatives, dyes or animal products, history of drug usage, past medical or surgical procedure should also be kept in the record to predict any drug interaction.
Physical examination should be done before starting this drug so that any physiological or pathological condition with which this drug may interfere may be ruled out.
Assessment of the patient’s age and effects of the drug on that age group is important for patient’s safety.
The studies in children and geriatric patients have revealed that it does not have extra effects in these groups in comparison to young adults. There are not enough studies to rule out its safety in pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Drug interactions result when there are different drugs used together. It most commonly occurs when a new drug has been started without consultation with the physician.
Other drugs may interfere with the working of this drug or its removal from the body. There are certain medications which are used along with Somatropin and it is advisable to decrease the dose of either of these to reduce the side effects.
The use of any new drug, even an over the counter drug, should be initiated after proper consultation. The patient should also consult about the effects of alcohol, tobacco, and certain foods on the drug.
Other medical conditions may also interact with the drug and it is important that the doctor is aware of these prior to therapy. Such conditions may result in more harm with the use of this drug than benefit.
These conditions include:
To use Accretropin properly, you must follow all instructions given by your doctor. The artificial hormone is given as a shot under the skin (subcutaneous route). It is usually given at a hospital or clinic but can also be given at home after proper guidance by the doctor.
Read the information leaflet carefully for further knowledge of its usage. Use different body area for each time you take the medication and a new syringe each time for medication. It is necessary to adhere to the dosage plan given by the doctor and if any dose is missed, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
If you take Accretropin, your doctor should perform routine checkups and advise you in taking precautions. Precautions are the instructions for the patient to make the drug more effective and to minimize its side effects.
The patient should be made aware of these tips to avoid complications during therapy:
- Regular visits to the doctor should be made to keep an eye on the progress.
- Blood tests may be done to check for complications.
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Allergic reactions may be caused by this medication and these should be discussed in detail with the consultant.
- Hip dislocation may occur by this drug and it is important to contact your doctor in case of any such symptoms.
- Check blood and urine for glucose levels regularly as this drug may result in an increase in levels of glucose.
- Look out for signs of a headache, nausea, vomiting and blurry vision as these may be the signs of increased pressure in the cranial cavity, which is a common side effect of this drug.
- Risks of cancer may increase due to this drug and, hence it is important to discuss this in detail with your physician.
- Results of some tests may be affected by this drug and the patient should tell about this drug prior to such tests.
- Do not start any other drug, prescription or non-prescription, without consulting your doctor.
- Keep it away from the reach of children.
Every drug in the world is associated with some unwanted effects. Some drugs have minimal side effects while others are dangerous for use due to their extra effects on the body.
Accretropin also causes some side effects out of which some may appear and others may not. It is necessary that the patient seeks medical help in case of any effect to avoid severe complications.
The unwanted effects include:
- Bleeding gums
- Swelling of different parts of body
- Burning sensation in feet
- Numbness
- Pain
- Tingling
- Blood in a cough
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Difficulty moving
- Dizziness
- Increased menstrual flow muscle pain
- Nosebleeds
- Pain in the joints
- Prolonged bleeding from cuts
- Rapid weight gain
- Black sticky stools
- Darkening of urine
- Discoloration of the skin
- The feeling of pressure on the injection site
- Change in personality
- Change in the perception of colors
- Chills
- Confusion
- Constipation
- Curved spine
- Dry mouth
- Fast heartbeat
- Fever
- Dry skin
- Fruit-like breath
- Headache
- Increased hunger
- Increased thirst
- Increased urination
- Indigestion
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of consciousness
- Nausea
- Pains in the stomach
- Seizures
