Beginning Your Therapy With Veletri
Veletri must be started in a hospital setting if you are new to intravenous therapy. You will begin your therapy with a surgical procedure done with local anesthesia.1 The area where the catheter is to be placed in your heart will be numb but you will be awake. Once your catheter is in place, it is connected to a small, battery-operated pump that delivers the medication. Veletri, when fully mixed, is stored in a small removable cassette attached to the pump.
Your portable infusion pump will control the rate of medication you receive. Do not, on your own, abruptly lower your dose of Veletri or stop taking it. All dose changes must be closely monitored by your doctor. Sudden and dramatic changes in dose may lead to unstable blood pressure, a return of pulmonary hypertension symptoms, or fatal low blood pressure (hypotension).
Importance of Taking Veletri
It is very important to follow your doctor's instructions carefully regarding how to take Veletri and how long to take it. Do not stop taking Veletri for any reason, or lower the dose, unless your doctor tells you to do so. Your doctor or nurse can help you to make taking Veletri part of your daily routine.
Always inform your doctor about any side effects you experience with your Veletri therapy. Your healthcare team is the best source of information for any questions or concerns you may have about your therapy or your condition.
*What is Veletri?
Veletri is a prescription medicine that is given intravenously (in a vein). It is used to treat adults with certain kinds of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (WHO Group 1), a condition in which blood pressure is too high in the blood vessels between the heart and the lungs. Veletri may improve your ability to exercise as measured by how far you can walk in 6 minutes(6-minute walk test).
Studies showing Veletri is effective included mainly patients with NYHA Functional Class III-IV PAH. In these patients, PAH was caused by unidentified or hereditary factors or connective tissue disease.
Who should not take Veletri?
Veletri should not be used if you have heart failure due to severe left heart disease, if you develop fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema) when starting therapy, or if you are allergic to epoprostenol.
Some medications may interact with Veletri. Please talk to your doctor about all of your medications.
What is the most important information I should know about Veletri?
It is important to use Veletri as directed by your doctor. Veletri should be used only with Sterile Water for Injection, USP, or Sodium Chloride 0.9% Injection, USP. Do not mix Veletri with other intravenous medications. Do not freeze Veletri or expose to direct sunlight.
When you take epoprostenol for the first time, you must be in a setting (hospital or clinic) where you can be monitored for any serious side effects or in case of emergency. Your blood pressure and heart rate should also be monitored with any dose changes. If you are taking Veletri, your doctor may prescribe another kind of medicine used to prevent blood clots. Use of these types of medicines may increase the risk of bleeding.
Sudden and dramatic changes in dose may lead to unstable blood pressure, a return of pulmonary hypertension symptoms, or fatal low blood pressure (hypotension). Do not stop using Veletri without first talking to your doctor. To reduce the risk of infection in the bloodstream, it is important to know how to properly care for the catheter and infusion pump.
What are the possible side effects of Veletri?
The most commonly reported side effects during clinical trials include flushing, jaw pain, headache, low blood pressure, fast heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, flu-like symptoms, anxiety/nervousness, and diarrhea.
Talk to your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of Veletri. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Please see accompanying full prescribing information.
1. Pulmonary Hypertension: A Patient's Survival Guide. 3rd ed., Pulmonary Hypertension Association. 2010.
