Brand names: Soriatane®Soriatane® CK Convenience Kit
Chemical formula:
- Drug Forms:
- Acitretin capsules (below)
- Acitretin Oral capsule
Acitretin capsules
What are acitretin capsules?
ACITRETIN (Soriatane®) is used to treat severe psoriasis. This medicine is not a cure, but it helps reduce the redness, thickness, and scaling that occur with psoriasis. This medicine can cause serious side effects, including birth defects if given to someone who is pregnant. Do not share this medicine with anyone else. Before you receive your prescription you should review the Do Your P.A.R.T. booklet, which includes the Do Your P.A.R.T. Patient Brochure, The Contraceptive Counseling Referral Form for female patients, the Patient Agreement/Informed Consent Form for female patients, and Medication Guide. This is to help make sure you understand the risk of birth defects and how to avoid getting pregnant. If you did not talk to your prescriber about this and sign the consent form, contact your health care provider.
What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
• if you have ever taken Tegison® or Tigason® (etretinate) in the past
• alcoholism
• depression
• diabetes mellitus or high blood sugar
• elevated cholesterol or triglycerides
• heart disease
• kidney or liver disease
• taking St. John's Wort
• visual problems
• an unusual or allergic reaction to acitretin, etretinate, vitamin A, isotretinoin, tretinoin, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
• pregnant or trying to get pregnant
• breast-feeding
How should I use this medicine?
Take acitretin capsules by mouth with food. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Swallow the capsules with a drink of water. Do not take your medicine more often than directed.
Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.
What if I miss a dose?
If you miss a dose, skip the missed dose and resume your normal schedule. Do not take double or extra doses.What drug(s) may interact with acitretin?
• alcohol, including alcohol that may be in drinks, food, or medicines including over-the-counter medicines
• methotrexate
• other vitamin A analogs ('retinoids') such as isotretinoin, tretinoin
• progestin-only birth control pills (mini pill)
• St. John's Wort
• tetracycline-type antibiotics like tetracycline, doxycycline or minocycline
• vitamin A
Other medicines that may interact with acitretin:
• orlistat
• phenytoin
Tell your prescriber or health care professional about all other medicines you are taking, including non-prescription medicines. Also tell your prescriber or health care professional if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs. These may affect the way your medicine works. Check with your health care professional before stopping or starting any of your medicines.
What should I watch for while taking acitretin?
You may experience worsening of your psoriasis when your first start taking acitretin. You may have to take acitretin for 2—3 months before you will see the full benefit of acitretin treatment; although, some patients may have significant improvements in their disease within the first 8 weeks of therapy.
Acitretin can cause severe birth defects. Acitretin must not be used by females who are pregnant or who may become pregnant while receiving acitretin or at any time for at least 3 years after treatment is stopped. If pregnancy does occur while receiving acitretin or at any time for at least 3 years after you stop taking acitretin, you should discuss with your physician the possible effects on the pregnancy. You should receive a Medication Guide from your pharmacy every time you receive a new prescription of acitretin, which will explain in greater detail the steps that should be taken to prevent pregnancy while receiving acitretin. If you do not receive a Medication Guide, contact your pharmacist.
• Female patients who are able to have children: You must have 2 negative pregnancy tests before you can begin treatment with acitretin. While receiving acitretin, female patients will need to have regular pregnancy tests to make sure they are not pregnant. Discuss effective birth control methods (contraception) with your health care provider. You must use 2 effective forms of birth control at the same time for at least 1 month before beginning acitretin, during treatment, and for at least 3 years after stopping acitretin therapy. If you miss your period or think you may be pregnant, stop taking acitretin right away and contact your health care provider. Do not take acitretin while you are breast-feeding. Acitretin may be passed on to your baby in the milk and may cause side effects. You will need to chose either to breast feed or take acitretin, but not both.
• Male Patients: Small amounts of acitretin may be present in the semen of men taking acitretin. It appears that these small amounts pose little, if any, risk to an unborn child.
During acitretin therapy and for 2 months after stopping treatment, you must avoid drinks, foods, and all medicines that contain alcohol. This includes over-the-counter products that contain alcohol. Avoiding alcohol is important because alcohol changes acitretin into a drug that may take longer than 3 years to leave your body. The chance of birth defects may last longer than 3 years if you take any form of alcohol while taking acitretin or for 2 months after stopping treatment.
Do not share your acitretin prescription with anyone else due to the risk of birth defects and other serious adverse effects.
Acitretin can increase cholesterol and triglyceride levels and decrease HDL (the 'good' cholesterol) levels. Your health care provider will monitor these levels and recommend appropriate therapy, including dietary changes or prescription drugs, if necessary.
You must not donate blood during your treatment with acitretin and for 3 years after you stop taking acitretin. Acitretin in your blood can harm an unborn baby if the blood is given to a pregnant woman. Acitretin does not affect your ability to receive blood transfusions.
If you wear contact lenses, they may feel uncomfortable. If your eyes get dry, check with your eye doctor. Use caution when driving or operating machinery, especially at night. Acitretin therapy may cause sudden changes in your vision. If you develop any vision changes, stop taking acitretin and contact your health care provider right away.
Acitretin can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight (UV light). Do not use sunlamps, and avoid sunlight as much as possible or wear protective clothing outdoors and use a sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher). If you are receiving light treatment (phototherapy), your prescriber may need to change your light dosages to avoid burns.
Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy, and drinking plenty of water will help.
Avoid multivitamins or nutritional supplements that contain vitamin A.
Acitretin may affect your blood sugar levels. If you are diabetic check with your prescriber or health care professional if you notice any change in your blood sugar tests.
Depression and/or other symptoms such as aggressive feelings or thoughts of self-harm have been reported in patients receiving acitretin. These events have occurred in other drugs similar to acitretin as well. Since other factors may have contributed to these events, it is not known if they are related to acitretin treatment. If you experience depression or thoughts of suicide, you should stop taking acitretin and contact your health care provider.
What side effects may I notice from using acitretin?
Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible:
• dark colored urine
• decreased vision in the dark
• depression
• frequent urination, increased thirst or hunger
• severe headaches, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision
• severe or persistant nausea and vomiting and decreased appetite
• shortness of breath, chest pain, swelling in a leg
• yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
• altered taste
• chapped lips
• difficulty sleeping
• dry nose, mouth, and eyes
• earache
• easy bruising
• fatigue
• fragile (weak) skin
• hair loss
• headache
• increased salivation
• increased sensitivity to the sun
• increased sweating
• itching
• joint and bone pain
• peeling of your fingers, palms, or soles of the feet
• ringing in the ears
• scaly skin all over
• weak nails
Where can I keep my medicine?
Keep out of the reach of children.
Store at room temperature between 15 and 25 degrees C (59 and 77 degrees F). Protect from light. Avoid exposure to high temperatures and humidity after the bottle is opened. Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date.
Last updated: 7/1/2002
Important Disclaimer: The drug information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the diagnosis, treatment and advice of a medical professional. This drug information does not cover all possible uses, precautions, side effects and interactions. It should not be construed to indicate that this or any drug is safe for you. Consult your medical professional for guidance before using any prescription or over the counter drugs.
