Acthrel

What Is Acthrel?

Acthrel (corticorelin ovine triflutate) for Injection is a man-made form of a hormone that occurs naturally in the body and is used as part of a medical test in people with Cushing's syndrome, an endocrine disorder caused by high levels of cortisol (a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal gland). Acthrel is also used to help your doctor determine why your body is producing too much of its own cortisol.

What Are Side Effects of Acthrel?

Common side effects of Acthrel include:

• warmth,
• redness, or
• tingly feeling in your face, neck, or chest

Side effects with higher doses of Acthrel include fast heart rate, low blood pressure (hypotension), shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest.

Dosage for Acthrel

A single intravenous dose of Acthrel at 1 mcg/kg is recommended for the testing of pituitary corticotrophin function.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Acthrel?

Acthrel may interact with dexamethasone. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Acthrel During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

During pregnancy, Acthrel should be taken only if prescribed. It is unknown if this drug passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Additional Information

Our Acthrel (corticorelin ovine triflutate) for Injection Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.

 

Acthrel Consumer Information

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

Tell your caregiver right away if you have:

• chest pain or pressure, fast heart rate;
• trouble breathing, feeling like you can't get enough air;
• severe redness or warmth in your face; or
• a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out.

Common side effects may include:

• flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling) in your face, neck, or chest.

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.

Read the entire detailed patient monograph for Acthrel (Corticorelin Ovine Triflutate for Injection)

 

Acthrel Professional Information

SIDE EFFECTS

Hypersensitivity reactions have been reported with 1 mcg/kg or 100 mcg/patient and include flushing of the face, neck, and upper chest; dyspnea, wheezing, urticaria, and angioedema (involving tongue, lip and facial swelling). Subjects have also reported an urge to take a deep breath, which occurs with a timing similar to, but less frequently than, that of flushing. Higher doses (>3 mcg/kg) are associated with more prolonged flushing, tachycardia, hypotension, dyspnea, and "chest compression" or tightness. In addition, at doses of >5 mcg/kg, significant increases in heart rate and decreases in blood pressure were observed. The cardiovascular effects occurred 2-3 minutes after injection and lasted for 30-60 minutes. The facial flushing was more prolonged, lasting up to 4 hours in some subjects. All signs and symptoms could be reduced by administering the drug as a 30-second infusion instead of by bolus injection.

Total doses of up to 200 mcg of corticorelin were administered as a bolus injection to 60 men and women, including both healthy normal subjects and patients with endocrine disorders. In most cases, only minor adverse effects, such as transient flushing and feelings of dyspnea, were noted. However, a few patients with disorders of the pituitary-adrenal axis had major symptoms. One patient had a precipitous fall in blood pressure and pulse rate and developed asystole, which required resuscitation. In two patients with Cushing's disease and in one with secondary adrenal insufficiency, an "absence-like" loss of consciousness occurred, which started within a few seconds after injection of corticorelin and lasted from 10 seconds to 5 minutes. This was accompanied by a slight fall in blood pressure. One patient with a well documented seizure diathesis experienced a grand mal epileptic seizure following ACTHREL^® administration. The patient had discontinued anti-convulsant therapy the day of the procedure (see DRUG INTERACTIONS).

Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Acthrel (Corticorelin Ovine Triflutate for Injection)