About idarubicin hydrochloride
Anthracycline antineoplastic antibiotic
Used for
- Treats acute myeloid leukemia, usually with other chemotherapy medicines.
Usual adult dose
For acute myeloid leukemia, commonly 12 mg/m² intravenously daily for 3 days with cytarabine; regimens vary.
Common side effects
- Low blood cell counts, infection, and bleeding
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or mouth sores
- Hair loss
- Heart damage or abnormal heart rhythms
Important warnings
- Can cause severe bone marrow suppression and life-threatening infections or bleeding.
- May cause serious heart damage; risk increases with lifetime anthracycline exposure.
- Can harm an unborn baby; effective contraception is needed during treatment.
- Use only under specialist supervision with blood and heart monitoring.
Pregnancy
May cause fetal harm. Avoid during pregnancy unless a specialist determines treatment is essential.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment because of potential serious harm to the infant.
Interactions
- Other heart-damaging medicines may increase cardiac toxicity.
- Other medicines that suppress bone marrow may increase infection and bleeding risks.
- Live vaccines may cause infection during immune suppression.
AI-generated from general medical knowledge, not from this product's official leaflet. It may be incomplete or out of date. Not medical advice — ask a pharmacist or doctor before making any decision.