Severe hypotension with serious sequelae have been reported in clinical studies and post-marketing experience in patients treated with ETHYOL.
Severe hypotension events included apnea, dyspnea, hypoxia, chest pain, tachycardia, bradycardia, extrasystoles, supraventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation/flutter, myocardial ischemia, myocardial infarction, unconsciousness, syncope, seizure, renal failure, and respiratory and
cardiac arrest.
In the WR-1 study of patients with ovarian cancer dosing ETHYOL at 910 mg/m
2, transient hypotension was observed in 62% of the patients
treated, with 8% of the patients experiencing ≥ Grade 3 hypotension. The mean time of onset was 14 minutes after initiation of the ETHYOL infusion, the mean duration of hypotension was 6 minutes, and blood pressure returned to normal within 15 minutes after the onset of hypotension in most cases. Approximately 3% of patients permanently discontinued ETHYOL due to severe hypotension.
In the WR-38 study of patients with head and neck cancer administering ETHYOL at a dose of 200 mg/m
2prior to radiotherapy, hypotension was observed in 15% of patients treated, with 3% of the patients experiencing ≥ Grade 3 hypotension.
Before administration of ETHYOL, verify that patients are not hypotensive or dehydrated. Adequately hydrate patients prior to initiating ETHYOL
infusion.
Patients receiving ETHYOL at doses recommended for chemotherapy should have antihypertensive therapy interrupted 24 hours preceding
administration of ETHYOL. Patients receiving ETHYOL at doses recommended for chemotherapy who are taking antihypertensive therapy that cannot be stopped for 24 hours preceding ETHYOL treatment should avoid treatment with ETHYOL. During and after ETHYOL infusion, closely
monitor the blood pressure of patients whose antihypertensive medication has been interrupted since hypertension may be exacerbated by discontinuation of antihypertensive medication or other causes such as intravenous hydration.
During ETHYOL infusion, keep patients in a supine position and monitor blood pressure every 5 minutes during the infusion, and thereafter as
clinically indicated. For infusion durations less than 5 minutes, blood pressure should be monitored at least before and immediately after the
infusion, and thereafter as clinically indicated.
It is important that the duration of the 910 mg/m
2infusion does not exceed 15 minutes, as administration of ETHYOL as a longer infusion
is associated with a higher incidence of adverse reactions.
If hypotension occurs, place patients in the Trendelenburg position and give an infusion of normal saline using a separate intravenous line. If the blood pressure returns to normal within 5 minutes and the patient is asymptomatic, the infusion may be restarted, so that the full dose of ETHYOL can be administered. Guidelines for interrupting and restarting ETHYOL infusion if a decrease in systolic blood pressure should occur are
provided
[see
Dosage and Administration (2.1)]
.