What is megestrol acetate prescribed for?
Megestrol suspension is used to treat loss of appetite, malnutrition, and severe weight loss in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Can megestrol cause bleeding?
Women may experience light vaginal bleeding or spotting. Most commonly, this occurs when the medication is stopped. However, women who are already post-menopausal at the time they start megestrol acetate should report any vaginal bleeding to their oncologist, primary physician, or gynecologist.
When is Megace contraindicated?
Megestrol is contraindicated in those patients with a history of hypersensitivity to megestrol acetate or any component of the formulation. Megestrol acetate is not intended for prophylactic use to avoid weight loss.
Is megace contraindicated in breast cancer?
Breast cancer, neoplastic disease Breast cancer in which estrogen and/or progesterone receptors are positive are more likely to respond to megestrol. The use of megestrol in other types of neoplastic disease is not recommended.
When should you take megestrol?
It is usually taken once or twice a day. Since each person responds differently to medical treatments, your doctor will recommend the dose and duration of therapy that is best for you. To improve appetite and increase weight, the usual dose is 400 to 800 mg daily. Megestrol can be taken with or without food.
Is megace safe for elderly?
Yeh and colleagues, in one of the few trials of megestrol in elderly patients, found that a daily dose of 800 mg was well tolerated and resulted in significant weight gain and improved quality of life; no thrombotic events were reported.
How is megestrol prescribed?
Megestrol oral suspension is indicated for use in the treatment of anorexia at a dose of 800 mg/day. Alternatively, 625 mg/5 mL of the concentrated formula (Megace ES formula) may be given. Note: 800 mg/20 mL of the regular formula is equivalent to 625 mg/ 5 mL of the concentrated formula.
Is Megace safe for elderly?
What are the top 5 high alert medications?
The five high-alert medications are insulin, opiates and narcotics, injectable potassium chloride (or phosphate) concentrate, intravenous anticoagulants (heparin), and sodium chloride solutions above 0.9%.
Is megestrol safe for elderly?
In patients who take megestrol acetate, one in 12 will have an increase in weight and one in 23 will have an adverse event leading to death. The 2012 American Geriatric Society Beers criteria lists megestrol acetate and cyproheptadine as medications to avoid in older adults.
What is the use of megestrol acetate oral suspension?
INDICATIONS AND USAGE. Megestrol Acetate Oral Suspension, USP is indicated for the treatment of anorexia, cachexia, or an unexplained, significant weight loss in patients with a diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Are there any side effects to taking megestrol acetate?
Megestrol acetate is known to be substantially excreted by the kidney, and the risk of toxic reactions to this drug may be greater in patients with impaired renal function. Because elderly patients are more likely to have decreased renal function, care should be taken in dose selection, and it may be useful to monitor renal function.
How does megestrol acetate work for menopausal hot flashes?
Preliminary data have suggested that megestrol acetate, a progestational agent, can decrease the frequency of hot flashes. A nonblinded study reported that megestrol acetate in daily doses of 20, 40, and 80 mg decreased menopausal hot flashes by 80, 89, and 98 percent, respectively.
How much radioactivity is found in megestrol acetate?
When radiolabeled megestrol acetate was administered to humans in doses of 4 to 90 mg, the urinary excretion within 10 days ranged from 56.5% to 78.4% (mean 66.4%) and fecal excretion ranged from 7.7% to 30.3% (mean 19.8%). The total recovered radioactivity varied between 83.1% and 94.7% (mean 86.2%).