Olumiant For Severe Alopecia Areata
What is Olumiant medication for?
What is alopecia disease?
How does Olumiant work?
Olumiant is a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor. JAK inhibitors help disrupt how cells respond to some cytokines. Cytokines are proteins that allow cells to communicate with each other, and excess cytokines may cause inflammation. In RA, joint inflammation may cause pain, swelling, and tenderness. It is not known which disrupted cytokines are most related to the therapeutic effects of Olumiant.
Before taking this medicine
Taking Olumiant can increase your risk of life-threatening medical problems including serious infections, a hole or tear in your digestive tract, a heart attack or stroke, blood clots, or cancer. Tell your doctor if you’ve had:
- a weak immune system or chronic infection (such as tuberculosis, shingles, HIV, or hepatitis);
- any type of cancer;
- kidney disease;
- diverticulitis, an ulcer in your stomach or intestines;
- heart problems;
- a heart attack, stroke, or blood clot;
- high cholesterol; or
- if you’ve ever smoked.
Tell your doctor if you’ve been sick with signs of infection, such as fever, chills, muscle aches, cough, trouble breathing, skin sores, diarrhea, or painful urination.
Tell your doctor if you’ve had or been exposed to tuberculosis, or if you recently traveled. Some infections are more common in certain parts of the world, and you may have been exposed during travel.
To make sure Olumiant is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:
- liver disease (especially hepatitis B or C);
- chronic lung disease;
- diabetes; or
- if you are scheduled to receive any vaccine.
Using Olumiant may increase your risk of developing certain cancers, such as lymphoma or lung cancer. Ask your doctor about this risk.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Do not breastfeed while taking Olumiant.
Olumiant is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.
Dosing information
Usual Adult Dose of Olumiant for Rheumatoid Arthritis:
– 2 mg orally once a day
Comments:
-This drug may be used as monotherapy or in combination with methotrexate or other DMARDs.
Use: For the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response to one or more tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonist therapies
Usual Adult Dose of Olumiant for COVID-19:
– 4 mg orally once a day
Duration of therapy: 14 days or until hospital discharge, whichever is first.
Use: For the treatment of COVID-19 in hospitalized adults requiring supplemental oxygen, non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation, or ECMO.
Usual Adult Dose of Olumiant for Alopecia Areata:
– 2 mg once daily. Increase to 4 mg once daily, if the response to treatment is not adequate. For patients with nearly complete or complete scalp hair loss, with or without substantial eyelash or eyebrow hair loss, consider treating with 4 mg once daily. Reduce the dose to 2 mg once daily when an adequate response has been achieved.
Use: For the treatment of adult patients with severe alopecia areata
Usual Pediatric Dose of Olumiant for COVID-19:
For investigational use only
2 years to less than 9 years: 2 mg orally once a day
9 years and older: 4 mg orally once a day
Duration of therapy: 14 days or until hospital discharge, whichever is first.
Comments:
-In July 2021, the US FDA expanded the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for Olumiant to allow the emergency use of this drug, with or without remdesivir, for treatment of suspected or laboratory confirmed COVID-19 in hospitalized pediatric patients two years of age or older requiring supplemental oxygen, invasive mechanical ventilation, or ECMO;
– The optimal duration of therapy is unknown.
-This drug is not authorized for patients younger than 2 years.
Use: For treatment of COVID-19 in hospitalized pediatric patients two years of age or older requiring supplemental oxygen, non-invasive or invasive mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).
What happens if I miss a dose?
Use the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not use two doses at one time.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
What should I avoid while taking Olumiant?
Avoid receiving a “live” vaccine. Live vaccines include measles, mumps, rubella (MMR), rotavirus, typhoid, yellow fever, varicella (chickenpox), and zoster (shingles).
Olumiant side effects
Stop taking this medicine and get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Olumiant: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Some people taking Olumiant have developed heart attacks, strokes, or serious blood clots. Stop taking Olumiant and seek emergency medical attention if you have:
- sudden shortness of breath;
- chest pain or pressure that may spread to your jaw, shoulder, arms, or back;
- nausea, vomiting, cold sweat;
- a light-headed feeling, like you, might pass out;
- weakness on one side of your body;
- slurred speech, drooping on one side of your mouth; or
- pain, swelling, or redness in an arm or a leg.
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- fever, chills, night sweats, constant tiredness;
- wheezing, trouble to breathe, severe or worsening cough;
- increased urination, pain or burning when you urinate;
- unexplained weight loss;
- lumps in your neck, armpits, or groin;
- signs of shingles – flu-like symptoms, tingly or painful blistering rash on one side of your body;
- a hole (perforation) in your digestive tract – fever, severe stomach pain, diarrhea, or changes in bowel habits; or
- signs of hepatitis – loss of appetite, vomiting, stomach pain (upper right side), dark urine, clay-colored stools, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).
What type of drug ?
Other medicines to treat alopecia
