Oxymetholone


Generic Medicine Info
Indications and Dosage
Oral
Anaemia
Adult: 1-5 mg/kg daily for 3-6 mth.
Child: Same as adult dose.
Hepatic Impairment
Severe: Contraindicated.
Contraindications
Prostate and breast cancer, nephrosis. Severe hepatic impairment. Pregnancy and lactation.
Special Precautions
Patient w/ oedematous conditions (e.g. migraine, seizure disorder, CV disease), DM. Renal and mild to moderate hepatic impairment. Childn.
Adverse Reactions
Significant: Benign hepatic tumours, blood lipid changes, mild virilisation, benign prostatic hypertrophy (elderly males), clotting factor alterations.
Nervous: Excitation, insomnia, deepening of voice (female).
CV: Coronary artery diseas, peripheral oedema.
GI: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea.
Hepatic: Reversible changes in hepatic function tests (e.g. increased serum bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, increased Bromsulphalein retention).
Genitourinary: Increased creatine and creatinine excretion, erectile dysfunction, testicular atrophy and oligospermia, impotence, chronic priapism, testicular disease, epididymitis, bladder irritability, decreased seminal volume, clitoromegaly, menstrual disease, amenorrhea (female).
Endocrine: Increased or decreased libido, decreased glucose tolerance, gynecomastia, hirsutism (female).
Haematologic: Iron-deficiency anaemia, haemorrhage, leukemia, prolonged prothrombin time (PT).
Musculoskeletal: Muscle cramps, increased creatinine phosphokinase, premature closure of epiphyses (childn).
Dermatologic: Acne, androgenic alopecia, hyperpigmentation.
Others: Chills, oedema, serum electrolytes retention.
Potentially Fatal: Peliosis hepatitis, malignant hepatic tumours, cholestatic jaundice w/ hepatic necrosis.
Monitoring Parameters
Periodically monitor LFT, lipid profile, serum iron and iron binding capacity, Hb and haematocrit levels. Monitor radiologic examination of bones every 6 mth (prepubertal childn); urine and serum Ca, signs of virilisation in female patient treated for breast cancer. 
Drug Interactions
Increased fluid-retention effect w/ adrenal steroids or ACTH. May enhance anticoagulant effect (e.g. increased INR/PT) of warfarin. May increase hepatotoxic effect of cyclosporine. May enhance hypoglycaemic effect of blood glucose lowering agents. May increase risk of cholestasis of ajmaline. 
Lab Interference
Decreased thyroxine-binding globulin, T4. Increased resin uptake of T3 and T4.
Action
Description:
Mechanism of Action: Oxymetholone is an anabolic steroid. It is used to treat anaemia (due to bone marrow failure and decreased RBC production) by increasing erythropoietin and stimulating erythropoiesis. It is also a synthetic derivative of testosterone and can suppress the gonadotropic functions of the pituitary.
Chemical Structure

Chemical Structure Image
Oxymetholone

Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Database. Oxymetholone, CID=5281034, https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Oxymetholone (accessed on Jan. 22, 2020)

Storage
Store between 20-25°C.
MIMS Class
Anabolic Agents
ATC Classification
A14AA05 - oxymetholone ; Belongs to the class of androstan derivative anabolic steroids used as systemic anabolic agents.
References
Anadrol-50 Oxymetholone Tablet (Alaven Pharmaceutical). DailyMed. Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/. Accessed 18/09/2017.

Anon. Oxymetholone. Lexicomp Online. Hudson, Ohio. Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. https://online.lexi.com. Accessed 18/09/2017.

Buckingham R (ed). Oxymetholone. Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference [online]. London. Pharmaceutical Press. https://www.medicinescomplete.com. Accessed 18/09/2017.

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