Emend for Injection


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Generic Name: fosaprepitant
(FOS a PREP i tan t)

What is Emend for Injection?

Emend for Injection blocks the actions of chemicals in the body that trigger nausea and vomiting.

Emend for Injection is used together with other medications to prevent nausea and vomiting that may be caused by cancer chemotherapy.

Emend for Injection is given ahead of time and will not treat nausea or vomiting that you already have.

Emend for Injection may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about Emend for Injection?

You should not receive Emend for Injection if you are taking cisapride (Propulsid) or pimozide (Orap). These drugs may cause life-threatening interactions when taken together with fosaprepitant.

Before you receive Emend for Injection, tell your doctor if you have liver disease. You may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use this medication.

Emend for Injection can make birth control pills less effective, resulting in pregnancy. This effect can last for up to 28 days after your last dose of this medication. Talk to your doctor about the use of a non-hormonal back-up form of birth control (such as condoms, a diaphragm, or spermicides) during treatment with fosaprepitant, and for 1 month afterward.

There are many other medicines that can interact with Emend for Injection.Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list with you of all the medicines you use and show this list to any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before I receive Emend for Injection?

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to Emend for Injection, aprepitant (oral Emend), or if you are taking any of the following drugs:

  • cisapride (Propulsid); or
  • pimozide (Orap).

The drugs listed above may cause life-threatening interactions when taken together with Emend for Injection.

Before you receive Emend for Injection, tell your doctor if you have liver disease. You may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use this medication.

FDA pregnancy category B. Emend for Injection is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while you are being treated with fosaprepitant.

It is not known whether Emend for Injection passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Before you receive this medication, tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How is Emend for Injection given?

Emend for Injection is given as an injection through a needle placed into a vein. You will receive this injection in a hospital or cancer treatment center. The medicine must be given slowly through an IV infusion, and can take at least 15 minutes to complete.

The first dose of Emend for Injection is usually given 30 minutes before your chemotherapy treatment begins.

You may also be given other medicines, including oral Emend (aprepitant capsules), for 3 or 4 days to further help prevent nausea and vomiting.

Emend for Injection is not for long-term use.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since Emend for Injection injection is given only once on the first day of your chemotherapy treatment, you are not likely to be on a dosing schedule.

What happens if I overdose?

An overdose of this medication is not likely to occur since it is given by a healthcare professional. However, overdose symptoms may include drowsiness and headache.

What should I avoid while receiving Emend for Injection?

Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity while you are being treated with Emend for Injection.

What are the possible side effects of Emend for Injection?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Tell your caregivers at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

  • feeling light-headed, fainting
  • slow heart rate
  • pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding; or
  • pain or burning when you urinate.

Less serious side effects may include:

  • nausea, vomiting, heartburn, stomach pain
  • diarrhea or constipation
  • loss of appetite
  • hiccups
  • increased thirst or hot, dry skin
  • weakness, dizziness, tired feeling
  • headache
  • ringing in your ears
  • fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
  • sleep problems (insomnia); or
  • pain or a hard lump where the medicine was injected.

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 Emend for Injection?

Emend for Injection can make birth control pills less effective, resulting in pregnancy. This effect can last for up to 28 days after your last dose of this medication. Talk to your doctor about the use of a non-hormonal back-up form of birth control (such as condoms, a diaphragm, or spermicides) during treatment with fosaprepitant and for at least 1 month after your treatment ends.

Before taking Emend for Injection, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

  • diltiazem (Cardizem, Cartia, Tiazac)
  • tolbutamide (Orinase)
  • a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin)
  • midazolam (Versed) or similar medicines such as Valium, Xanax, or Tranxene
  • an antidepressant such as nefazodone (Serzone) or paroxetine (Paxil)
  • an antibiotic such as clarithromycin (Biaxin) or rifampin (Rifater, Rifamate)
  • an antifungal medication such as itraconazole (Sporanox), or ketoconazole (Nizoral)
  • certain cancer medicines such as etoposide (VePesid), irinotecan (Camptosar), ifosfamide (Ifex), imatinib (Gleevec), paclitaxel (Onxol, Taxol), vinblastine (Velban), or vincristine (Oncovin, Vincasar)
  • HIV medicines such as nelfinavir (Viracept), lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra), or ritonavir (Norvir)
  • seizure medication such as carbamazepine (Tegretol, Carbatrol) or phenytoin (Dilantin); or
  • steroid medicine such as dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol) or methylprednisolone (Medapred, Solu-Medrol).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Emend for Injection. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about Emend for Injection.

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 1996-2009 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 1.05. Revision date: 08/03/2009.