Corticotropin

Corticotropin may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• ACTH Gel

• Acth-40 Hp

• Acth-80

• Acthar

Do not receive a "live" vaccine while using corticotropin. The vaccine may not work as well during this time, and may not fully protect you from disease. Live vaccines include measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), polio, rotavirus, typhoid, yellow fever, varicella (chickenpox), zoster (shingles), and nasal flu (influenza) vaccine.

Treatment of a wide variety of diseases and conditions; used for anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressant effects, and for its effects on blood and lymphatic systems in the palliative treatment of various glucocorticoid-responsive nonendocrine diseases.a c m p

Has limited therapeutic value in conditions responsive to corticosteroid therapy; in such cases, corticosteroids are considered the drugs of choice.a

Corticotropin therapy is not curative and generally suppresses the symptoms of chronic diseases without altering the natural course of the disease; considered to be supportive therapy to be used adjunctively with other indicated therapies.a c Generally, should be used for treatment only when disease is refractory to noncorticosteroid therapies.a

Diagnosis of Adrenocortical Insufficiency

Used in the diagnostic testing of adrenocortical insufficiency.a b c m p aa

30-minute cosyntropin test is preferable to corticotropin for rapid screening since it is less likely to cause allergic reactions.b m p (See Hypersensitivity Reactions under Cautions.)

Thyroiditis

Treatment of nonsuppurative thyroiditis.a

Hypercalcemia

Treatment of hypercalcemia associated with malignancy.a

Multiple Sclerosis

Symptomatic management of acute exacerbations associated with multiple sclerosis.a c i Higher dosages may be necessary to demonstrate clinically important effect.a

Corticotropin did not affect the outcome or natural history of multiple sclerosis in clinical studies.a To date, insufficient data to determine if corticotropin can prevent new exacerbations of the disease.i

Previously considered therapy of choice; however, short-term, high-dose IV glucocorticoids (e.g., methylprednisolone) generally have replaced corticotropin because of a more rapid onset of action, more consistent effects, and fewer adverse effects.

Rheumatic Disorders and Collagen Diseases

Short-term adjunctive treatment of acute episodes or exacerbations of rheumatic disorders (i.e., psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, posttraumatic arthritis, acute and subacute bursitis, synovitis of osteoarthritis, acute nonspecific tenosynovitis, epicondylitis, acute gouty arthritis).a

Selected cases of rheumatoid arthritis (i.e., juvenile rheumatoid arthritis) may require low-dose corticotropin maintenance therapy.a

Limit treatment of gouty arthritis to a few days.a Rebound arthritic attacks may occur after corticotropin discontinuance; administer concomitant conventional therapy during corticotropin treatment and for several days following its discontinuance.a

Treatment during acute exacerbations or as maintenance therapy in selected cases of systemic lupus erythematosus, acute rheumatic carditis, and/or systemic dermatomyositis (polymyositis).a c

Dermatologic Diseases

Treatment of pemphigus, bullous dermatitis herpetiformis, severe erythema multiforme (Stevens-Johnson syndrome), exfoliative dermatitis, severe psoriasis, severe seborrheic dermatitis, or mycosis fungoides.a

Allergic Conditions

Control of severe or incapacitating allergic conditions (i.e., seasonal or perennial allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, serum sickness) intractable to adequate trials of conventional treatment.a

Ocular Disorders

Treatment of severe acute and chronic allergic and inflammatory processes involving the eye and adnexa (e.g., allergic conjunctivitis, keratitis, herpes zoster ophthalmicus, iritis and iridocyclitis, diffuse posterior uveitis and choroiditis, optic neuritis, sympathetic ophthalmia, chorioretinitis, anterior segment inflammation, allergic corneal marginal ulcer).a

Sarcoidosis

Management of symptomatic sarcoidosis.a w

Loeffler’s Syndrome

Symptomatic relief of acute manifestations of Loeffler’s syndrome not manageable by other means.a k

Berylliosis

Symptomatic relief of acute manifestations of berylliosis.a k

Aspiration Pneumonitis

Symptomatic relief of acute manifestations of aspiration pneumonitis.a k

Advanced Pulmonary and Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis

Adjunctive treatment with antituberculosis chemotherapy in fulminating or disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis.a x

Adjunctive treatment with antituberculosis chemotherapy in tuberculosis meningitis with subarachnoid block or impending block.a

Hematologic Disorders

Management of acquired (autoimmune) hemolytic anemia, secondary thrombocytopenia, erythroblastopenia (RBC anemia), and/or congenital (erythroid) hypoplastic anemia.a

Neoplastic Diseases

Alone or as a component of various chemotherapeutic regimens in the palliative treatment of neoplastic diseases of the lymphatic system (e.g., leukemias and lymphomas in adults and acute leukemias in children).a k

Nephrotic Syndrome and Lupus Nephritis

Can be used to induce diuresis or remission of proteinuria in nephrotic syndrome without uremia of the idiopathic type or due to lupus erythematosus.a

GI Diseases

Short-term palliative therapy for acute exacerbations and systemic complications of ulcerative colitis and/or regional enteritis.a

Has been used in patients with moderately to severely active or severe fulminant Crohn’s disease†, including those with an abdominal mass, usually in patients who have not responded to oral therapy.100 101 102

Trichinosis

Treatment of trichinosis with neurologic or myocardial involvement.a

Infantile Spasms

Has been used in the short-term management of infantile spasms† (designated an orphan drug by FDA for this use).f h l o

Primary Adrenocortical Insufficiency

Ineffective in the treatment of primary adrenocortical insufficiency and congenital adrenogenital syndrome.c

• If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor.
• Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else's drugs.
• Keep a list of all your drugs (prescription, natural products, vitamins, OTC) with you. Give this list to your doctor.
• Talk with the doctor before starting any new drug, including prescription or OTC, natural products, or vitamins.
• Some drugs may have another patient information leaflet. Check with your pharmacist. If you have any questions about corticotropin, please talk with your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
• If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this medicine or any other medicine. Only the healthcare provider has the knowledge and training to decide which medicines are right for a specific patient. This information does not endorse any medicine as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about corticotropin. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this medicine. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from the healthcare provider. You must talk with the healthcare provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using corticotropin.

Review Date: October 4, 2017

(kor ti koe TROE pin)

• Corticosteroid, Systemic

Refer to adult dosing.

May suppress the wheal and flare reactions to skin test antigens

Consult your pharmacist.

If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center.

Notes

Missed Dose

Consult your pharmacist.

Storage

Consult your pharmacist.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.

Information last revised July 2016. Copyright(c) 2016 First Databank, Inc.