CASPOFUNGIN Ensure that you do not miss your a sensation of warmth, facial appointment to receive your dose of swelling, skin rash and itchiness caspofungin. Missing doses of Other NAMES : Cancidas  may occur. Please consult a doctor caspofungin may cause your fungal immediately if you develop a skin infection to come back or worsen. If you WHY is this drug prescribed? rash. have missed an appointment, call your

clinic immediately to rebook an Caspofungin is a drug used for the In patients already receiving appointment to receive your dose as , treatment of various fungal infections. cyclosporine (Neoral soon as possible.  It can be given to treat fungal Sandimmune ), caspofungin may infections caused by candida [mouth cause increases in liver enzymes. If you are receiving your doses of (thrush) and esophagus infections] or This will be monitored with your caspofungin at home through home aspergillosis. blood work. care and you have missed a dose, take

it as soon as possible. However, if it is HOW should this drug be taken? It is important that you keep your time for your next dose, do not double doctor appointments and come the dose, just carry on with your regular Caspofungin can only be given for your laboratory tests so that schedule. intravenously (IV: by the veins). It is your progress can be followed. administered slowly over at least 1 Why should you not forget to take hour. The recommended dose is 70 What other PRECAUTIONS this drug? mg on day 1, followed by 50 to 70 mg should you follow while using once daily for the remainder of the this drug? treatment. If you miss doses of caspofungin, your infection may continue or worsen. In Before starting caspofungin, notify Your dosage is: such a situation, you may need to take your doctor and pharmacist if you other drugs. Therefore, it is extremely have ever had an allergic reaction Day 1: important that you take caspofungin for to this drug. Also, inform your doctor ___mL (____mg) once a day, then the entire duration of the treatment. if you have a history of liver disease. Your dose may need to be Day 2 and onwards: What ADVERSE EFFECTS can this decreased if you have liver drug cause? What should you do problems. ___mL (____mg) once a day about them? Many drugs have the potential of Caspofungin is generally well tolerated. interfering with caspofungin. Inform What should you do if you FORGET Some people experience the following your doctor and pharmacist of all a dose? adverse effects: fever, pain and prescribed and non-prescribed swelling at injection site, nausea, drugs you are taking. As well, you Caspofungin will likely by given at a vomiting, and headache. During the should inform them of natural clinic by an experienced nurse. intravenous infusion, symptoms such as products you are taking. If you wish to start a new drug or natural product, About an hour before your treatment, please consult with your pharmacist remove a bag from the refrigerator and before doing so. let it warm to room temperature. Check your bag to ensure that there are no

In particular, please notify your doctor leaks and that there are no solid and pharmacist if you are taking the particles in the solution. The solution CASPOFUNGIN following drugs: should be clear and colorless. If not, you should not use the bag. - Carbamazepine (Tegretol )

- Cyclosporine (Neoral , If you have any questions or

Sandimmune ) concerns about this drug or if you

 are experiencing adverse effects, - Dexamethasone (Dexasone )  please discuss them with your - Efavirenz (Sustiva )  pharmacist, doctor or nurse. - Nevirapine (Viramune ) - Phenytoin (Dilantin ) - Rifampin (Rifadin , Rimactane , Write questions or concerns down to MEDICATION Rofact ) ensure they are addressed.

The safety of caspofungin during The following pharmacist is available to FACT SHEET pregnancy or breastfeeding has not answer questions: been established. Please discuss this with your doctor if this is a concern. In Pharmacist: ______general, if you have HIV, breastfeeding is NOT recommended Telephone: ______as you can transmit the virus to your baby through your breast milk.

How should this drug be STORED?

Once caspofungin is diluted, the solution is stable for 24 hours at room temperature (15 to 25 °C) or 48 hours if kept in the refrigerator (2 to 8 °C). Reference: Product Monograph Cancidas  (caspofungin). Keep the bags in a dry place, Kirkland, QC, Canada. Merck Frosst Canada Ltd., 2009. protected from light and well out of the Prepared by the Ontario HIV Pharmacy Professional Specialty Group, 2003. Reviewed 2009. reach of children. Additional medication fact sheets and updates may be found at: www.hivclinic.ca.