What is the most important information I should know about letermovir?
Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using. Many drugs can interact with letermovir, and some drugs should not be used together.
What is letermovir?
Letermovir is an antiviral medicine used to help prevent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant from a donor. Letermovir is for use in adults who are seropositive for CMV. Seropositive means that the virus is in your blood even if you do not show any symptoms of infection.
A CMV-seropositive person is at risk for "reactivation" of the virus if the immune system becomes weak. While normally treatable, CMV infection can be serious in people undergoing a stem cell transplant.
Letermovir may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using letermovir?
Some medicines can cause unwanted or dangerous effects when used with letermovir. Your doctor may need to change your treatment plan if you use any of the following drugs:
- pimozide;
- cholesterol medication--pitavastatin, simvastatin; or
- ergot medicine--dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, ergonovine, methylergonovine.
To make sure letermovir is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- kidney disease;
- liver disease;
- diabetes; or
- high cholesterol or triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood).
It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
It is not known whether letermovir passes into breast milk or if it could affect the nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.
How should I use letermovir?
Follow all directions on your prescription label. Do not use this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Letermovir oral is a tablet taken by mouth. Letermovir injection is given through an IV into a vein.
You may take letermovir tablets with or without food.
Do not crush, chew, or break a letermovir tablet. Swallow it whole.
You may be shown how to use letermovir injections at home. Do not give yourself this medicine if you do not understand how to use the injection and properly dispose of needles, IV tubing, and other items used.
You may need to mix the injection solution with a liquid (diluent) in an IV bag before using it. If you are using the injections at home, be sure you understand how to properly mix and store the medicine.
You can store the mixture for up to 24 hours at room temperature, or up to 48 hours in a refrigerator.
Letermovir injection must be given slowly, and the infusion can take at least 1 hour to use all of the medicine in the IV bag.
Letermovir oral or injection is usually given once per day for up to 100 days after your stem cell transplant.
Use this medicine for the full prescribed length of time, even if you have no symptoms. Skipping doses may increase your risk of further infection that is resistant to medication.
Store letermovir tablets or unmixed injection solution in the original packaging at room temperature, away from moisture, heat, and light. Keep each tablet in the foil blister pack until you are ready to take a tablet.
Do not shake the injection solution bottle. Prepare your dose only when you are ready to give an injection. Do not use if the medicine has changed colors or has particles in it. Call your pharmacist for new medicine.
Each single-use vial (bottle) of letermovir injection is for one use only. Throw it away after one use, even if there is still medicine left inside.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Use the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid while using letermovir?
Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity.
What are the possible side effects of letermovir?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- fast or irregular heartbeats.
Serious side effects may occur if you also use certain other medications.
Common side effects may include:
- nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain;
- swelling in your arms or legs;
- cough;
- headache; or
- feeling tired.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect letermovir?
Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medications at the same time. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you take, which may increase side effects or make the medications less effective.
Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using. If you also use cyclosporine, your letermovir dose will need to be adjusted.
Other drugs may interact with letermovir, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about letermovir.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2018 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 1.01. Revision date: 1/10/2018.
