Azathioprine, Oral/Injection

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: immunosuppressant; antirheumatic

Generic and brand names: azathioprine, injection; azathioprine, oral; Azasan; Imuran

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is used to prevent rejection of transplanted organs and to treat certain types of adult rheumatoid arthritis. It may be taken by mouth or given by injection. Your healthcare provider may also prescribe it for other conditions.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before taking this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• an allergic reaction to any medicine
• a weakened immune system from diseases such as HIV/AIDS or from cancer chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or steroid medicine
• gout
• kidney or liver disease.

Tell your provider if you have any kind of infection or fever.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval. If you become pregnant while taking this medicine, contact your healthcare provider right away.

How should I use it?

Injections of this medicine will be given by a healthcare provider.

Take the tablets exactly as directed by your healthcare provider. Do not take more or less of this medicine or take it more often than directed. Taking too much may increase the risk of side effects.

Take the tablets with or after meals or at bedtime to lessen the nausea and vomiting it sometimes causes. If you vomit right after taking the medicine, ask your healthcare provider what to do. Do not stop taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure of what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your healthcare provider.

What should I watch out for?

This medicine may increase your risk of developing cancer. Talk with your healthcare provider about this.

You will need to have blood tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments for these tests.

You may get infections more easily when you are taking this medicine. Stay away from people with colds, flu, or other infections. Also, do not have any vaccines without getting your healthcare provider's approval first.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have trouble urinating or decreased urine output while taking this medicine.

If you need emergency care, surgery, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine.

Men: Use effective birth control because this medicine may affect sperm and lead to birth defects.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Weakness, tiredness, fever, chills, sore throat, mouth sores, any signs of an infection, easy bruising or bleeding, yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark urine, light colored bowel movements, severe nausea or vomiting.

Other: Mild nausea or vomiting, dry mouth, loss of appetite, hair loss, rash, muscle or joint pain.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• ACE inhibitors (used to treat high blood pressure) such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril (Monopril), lisinopril (Prinivil), moexipril (Univasc), quinapril (Accupril), and ramipril (Altace)
• allopurinol (Zyloprim)
• herbal remedies such as echinacea, chaparral, comfrey, kava, pennyroyal, and cat's claw
• immunosuppressants such as azathioprine (Imuran), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), sirolimus (Rapamune), and tacrolimus (Prograf, Protopic)
• live virus vaccines
• medicines used to treat cancer such as cisplatin (Platinol), hydroxyurea (Hydrea), doxorubicin (Adriamycin, Rubex, Doxil), levamisole (Ergamisol), vinblastine (Velban, Alkaban-AQ), and vincristine (Oncovin, Vincasar)
• medicines used to treat bowel disease, such as olsalazine (Dipentum), mesalamine (Asacol, Pentasa, Rowasa), and sulfasalazine (SSA, Azulfidine)
• methotrexate (Rheumatrex)
• warfarin (Coumadin).

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.