HYDROXYUREA TOXICITY

Course overview

HYDROXYUREA IS AN ANTINEOPLASTIC AGENT USED ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC DRUGS OR RADIATION IN THE TREATMENT OF RESISTANT LEUKEMIAS AND CARCINOMAS OF THE HEAD AND NECK. IT IS ALSO USED TO INCREASE FETAL HEMOGLOBIN CONCENTRATION, THUS REDUCING THE FREQUENCY OF SEVERE CRISIS AND REDUCING THE NECESSITY FOR BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS IN PATIENTS WITH SICKLE CELL ANEMIA. DESPITE ITS UTILITY, HYDROXYUREA IS AN EXTREMELY TOXIC DRUG WITH A LOW THERAPEUTIC INDEX. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF HYDROXYUREA TOXICITY AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.