Gleevec (Imatinib)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs):

What is Gleevec?

Gleevec (Salt name: Imatinib Mesylate) is a prescription medication used to treat certain types of blood cancer such as lymphoblastic leukemia and myeloid leukemia, skin cancer, and tumors in the gastrointestinal tract. It is also used to treat some diseases of the blood and bone marrow.

Gleevec is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. It works by blocking a protein signal that stimulates cancer cell growth and proliferation.

Uses and Benefits of Gleevec:

Gleevec is prescribed to treat patients with the following conditions.

• Ph+ Chronic Myeloid Leukemia that has been diagnosed recently

• Ph+ CML in all 3 phases (Blast Crisis, Accelerated Phase, and Chronic Phase) after Interferon-alpha therapy stops working.

• Ph+ Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

• Myelodysplastic and Myeloproliferative Diseases

• Aggressive Systemic Mastocytosis

• Hypereosinophilic Syndrome and Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia

• Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans

• Kit+ Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors

Side Effects of Gleevec:

Patients taking Gleevec may experience common side effects such as:

• Nausea and vomiting

• Abdominal pain and diarrhea

• Headache

• Muscle cramps and pain

• Fatigue and dizziness

• Skin rash

• Flu-like symptoms

• Low blood counts

Gleevec may cause serious side effects that may require medical attention including:

1. Edema and fluid retention which cause swelling of the face, feet, hands, and unexpected weight gain.
2. Heart failure, chest pain, fast heartbeat, and breathing difficulty.
3. Liver failure and injury which can be identified by symptoms such as loss of appetite, severe abdominal pain, yellowing of eyes and skin, and dark urine.
4. Hemorrhage, numbness in the arms or legs, difficulty speaking, and seizures.
5. A decline in kidney function, change in the amount of urine, pain during urination, and bloody urine.
6. Hypothyroidism
7. Unusual bleeding from nose, mouth, vagina, and rectum leading to severe anemia.

How to take Gleevec?

Gleevec comes in the form of a film-coated tablet. It is taken orally with a meal once or twice daily. Take a Gleevec tablet with a glass of water to reduce its side effects such as gastrointestinal irritation and perforation.

Patients who cannot swallow the tablet may dissolve it in water or apple juice ( take 50 mL water for a 100 mg tablet, and 200 mL water for a 400 mg tablet). Make sure to drink the suspension just after the dissolution of the tablet.

Do not increase your dose or stop taking Gleevec without consulting your doctor. In case you miss a dose of Gleevec, take it as soon as possible. But if it is time for the next dose, you should not take the missed dose.

Why is Gleevec Cost so high in the USA?

Some of the highest Gleevec Cost in the world are found in the United States. Even with medical insurance and copay, people in the USA still face the problem of high Gleevec Costs. The reasons for this problem are complex and multi-faceted, but there are a few key factors that contribute to the high cost of medications.
One of the biggest factors contributing to the high Gleevec Cost in the US is the lack of price regulation. In most other developed countries, the government negotiates with pharmaceutical companies to set the price of medications. In the US, however, drug prices are set by the pharmaceutical companies themselves. This means that they can charge whatever price they want for their drugs, regardless of how much it costs to produce or how much it is sold in other countries.
Additionally, the lack of transparency in drug pricing is another major factor contributing to the high Gleevec Cost in the US. Patients are often not aware of how much medication costs until they receive the bill. This can lead to unexpected costs that people may not be able to afford. Even with medical insurance and copay, patients may still have to pay a significant amount out of pocket.
OffshoreCheapMeds can provide Gleevec Cost that is often lower than what people pay even with insurance and copay. We achieve this by sourcing medications from Certified and Reputable pharmacies, having partnerships with licensed pharmacies and distributors, operating online to keep overhead costs low, negotiating lower prices with manufacturers, and offering generic versions of medications so you can buy Gleevec online at the lowest possible price.

Drug Interactions:

Taking Gleevec with other medications can cause severe reactions in the body or may change the working of your medication. Thus it is advised to tell your doctors about all the medications you are currently taking including prescription, nonprescription drugs, and supplements.

Gleevec may interact with certain medications

• CYP3A Inhibitors and Inducers

• Drugs metabolized by CYP3A4 such as dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, triazolo-benzodiazepines and warfarin

• Drugs Metabolized by CYP2D

Safety Information:

• Do not take Gleevec if you are pregnant as the medicine may cause birth defects and miscarriage.

• The mother should not breastfeed the baby during Gleevec treatment and for 1 month after the last dose.

• Always monitor the growth of children taking the medicine as Gleevec can cause Growth retardation.

• Avoid driving a car or operating machinery after taking the medicine

• Tell your doctor if you have had kidney disease or kidney failure, bleeding conditions, diabetes, liver disease, thyroid problems, High blood pressure, and heart failure.

• Patients taking Gleevec should not get a vaccine without consulting their doctor.

References:

• https://www.hcp.novartis.com/products/gleevec/gleevechcp/

• https://www.novartis.us/sites/www.novartis.us/files/gleevec_tabs.pdf

• https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-20980/gleevec-oral/details

• https://www.rxlist.com/gleevec-drug.htm#side_effects