title: Prevention of venous pain and phlebitis caused by epirubicin hydrochloride.
abstract: Many patients complain of venous pain or develop phlebitis following treatment with epirubicin hydrochloride(EPI). To ensure effective and safe treatment with this drug, it is essential to deal with the adverse events associated with it appropriately. At our hospital, EPI was previously administered by drip infusion(diluted with 50mL of physiological saline)over 15 minutes after pretreatment(EPI main route). With this method of treatment, venous pain and phlebitis developed in 14 of 15 cases. In 3 of these 14 cases, the regimen was modified. Following this experience, EPI administration was switched to drip infusion from the fully-opened side tube used for pretreatment(EPI sub-route). Switching to this route resulted in a sharp decrease in the incidence of venous pain and phlebitis, to only 1 of 15 cases. Stimulation of vascular tunica intima by EPI has been considered a factor principally responsible for the venous pain and phlebitis seen after EPI therapy. To prevent these adverse reactions, it is necessary to modify the method of administration so that strong or long-term exposure of blood vessels to EPI can be reduced. The results of this study suggest that the EPI sub-route we devised is useful in achieving this goal.
authors: Department of Pharmacy, Teikyo University, Hospital, Japan.
authors: Masakazu
authors: M
authors: Sugimoto
authors: Masateru
authors: M
authors: Matsui
authors: Masanori
authors: M
authors: Harada
authors: Yumiko
authors: Y
authors: Yamauchi
authors: Nao
authors: N
authors: Moriyama
authors: Kanae
authors: K
authors: Andou
authors: Makoto
authors: M
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Hisayo
authors: H
authors: Yamaoka
authors: Chiemi
authors: C
authors: Ono
authors: Mami
authors: M
authors: Ishikawa
authors: Nobuyuki
authors: N
authors: Kamo
authors: Tadashi
authors: T
authors: Ikeda
authors: Keiko
authors: K
authors: Yamaoka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010689:Phlebitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D015251:Epirubicin