Patients with a bone marrow disorder, such as essential thrombocythemia (condition in which the body makes too many platelets) or polycythemia vera, in which the body makes too many of one or more types of blood cells, are treated with anagrelide to reduce the number of platelets (a type of blood cell that is necessary to control bleeding) in their blood (condition in which the body makes too many red blood cells and sometimes too many platelets). Anagrelide belongs to a group of drugs called platelet-reducing drugs. It operates by reducing the body’s ability to produce platelets.

Anagrelide is available as a capsule to be swallowed. It is often taken two to four times a day, with or without food. Take anagrelide every day at roughly the same time. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Exactly as prescribed, take anagrelide. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

Most likely, your doctor will put you on a modest dose of anagrelide and gradually increase it, not more frequently than once per week. Depending on how your body reacts to the drug, your doctor may adjust your dose during therapy. Pay close attention to these guidelines.

Your problem won’t be cured with antagrelide, but it might help regulate it. Anagrelide should still be taken even if you feel fine. Without first consulting your doctor, do not discontinue taking anagrelide. Your blood’s concentration of platelets will rise if you stop taking anagrelide abruptly, and you might have symptoms.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before taking anagrelide,

• If you are allergic to anagrelide or any other medications, tell your doctor and pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are currently taking or intend to take. Make sure to include any of the following: clozapine (Clozaril); cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril); atazanavir (Reyataz); cilostazol (Pletal); cimetidine (Tagamet); cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril); ciprofloxacin (Cipro), gatifloxacin (Tequin), levofloxacin (Levaquin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), and others; fluvoxamine (Luvox); imipramine (Tofranil); inamrinone; mexiletine (Mexitil); milrinone (Primacor); naproxen (Aleve, Naprosy (Ticlid). Your doctor may need to adjust the doses of your medications or closely monitor you for side effects.
• Inform your doctor of any bleeding issues, high or low blood pressure, lactose intolerance (inability to digest dairy products), or heart, kidney, or liver disease if you have them now or have ever had them.
• If you are pregnant or want to become pregnant, avoid using anagrelide.
• When taking anagrelide, you should utilise a reliable method of birth control to avoid getting pregnant. Consult your doctor about the best birth control options for you. While taking anagrelide, call your doctor right away if you become pregnant. Avoid breastfeeding when taking anagrelide.
• You should let your doctor or dentist know that you are taking anagrelide if you are having surgery, including dental surgery.
• You should be aware that anagrelide can cause dizziness, particularly at initially when taking the medicine. Prior to understanding how this drug affects you, avoid using machinery or driving a car.
• You should be aware that if you get out of a reclining position too rapidly while taking anagrelide, you could have dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting. When you initially start taking anagrelide, this happens more frequently. Get out of bed gradually, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up, to avoid this issue.
• Make a plan to limit your time spent in the sun and to use sunscreen, sunglasses, and protective clothes. Your skin could become sun-sensitive if you take antagrelide.

If you plan to consume grapefruits or grapefruit juice while taking this medication, consult your doctor.

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Side effects are possible with anagrelide. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Headache
• Gas
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Abdominal pain
• Heartburn
• Belching
• Reduced appetite
• Clogged nose
• Nosebleed
• Unwell throat
• Oral sores
• Dizziness
• Depression
• Nervousness
• Forgetfulness
• Confusion
• Having trouble falling or staying asleep
• Energy deficit or drowsiness
• Weakness
• Back, joint, or muscle pain
• Leg twitches
• Hair fall
• Fever
• Flu-like signs
• Unpleasant urination
• An earache that ringers
• Itching

Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Rash
• Hives
• Uncommon bruising or bleeding
• Blood in the faeces or urine
• Tarry or black stools
• Chest pain
• Feeling of chest fluttering
• Irregular, hurried, or fast heartbeats
• Arms, hands, foot, ankles, or lower legs swelling
• Having trouble breathing
• Cough
• Slow or challenging speech
• Fainting
• Arm or leg weakness or numbness
• Having tingling, burning, or pain in your hands or feet
• Seizure
• Alterations to vision

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Store it away from light, excessive heat, and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom).

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

As many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Additionally, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Overdose symptoms could include:

• Uncommon bruising or bleeding

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. To monitor your body’s reaction to anagrelide, your doctor will request specific lab tests.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.