Details

Azathioprine lowers your body's immune system. The immune system helps your body fight infections. The immune system can also fight or "reject" a transplanted organ such as a liver or kidney. This is because the immune system treats the new organ as an invader. Azathioprine is used to prevent your body from rejecting a transplanted kidney. It is also used to treat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. To make sure azathioprine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have liver disease any type of viral, bacterial, or fungal infection received a kidney transplant or received chemotherapy treatments with medications.

Typical Uses

Azathioprine is used with other medications to prevent rejection of a kidney transplant. It works by weakening your body's defence system (immune system) to help your body accept the new kidney as if it were your own. This medication belongs to a class of drugs known as immunosuppressants. Azathioprine is also used to treat patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis who have not responded to other medications (e.g., non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs/NSAIDs such as ibuprofen). Rheumatoid arthritis is thought to be caused by the immune system attacking the joints. Early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with more aggressive therapy such as azathioprine helps to reduce further joint damage and to preserve joint function.

Side Effects

Stop using azathioprine and contact your doctor immediately if you experience fever, night sweats, weight loss, tiredness feeling full after eating only a small amount pain in your upper stomach that may spread to your shoulder or easy bruising or bleeding, pale skin, feeling light-headed or short of breath, rapid heart rate. Azathioprine may cause a serious viral infection of the brain that can lead to disability or death.

Drug Interactions

• Azathioprine+adalimumab- Using adalimumab together with azathioprine may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

• Azathioprine+allopurinol- Using allopurinol together with azathioprine can increase the effects of azathioprine. This can cause fever, chills, sore throat, body aches, weakness, muscle pain, easy bruising or bleeding, mouth sores, pale stools, darkened urine, or severe nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea.

• Azathioprine+BCG- If you are currently being treated or have recently been treated with azathioprine, you should talk to your doctor before receiving BCG. Depending on the dose and length of time you have been on azathioprine, you may be at risk for developing an infection from the vaccine or have a reduced response to the vaccine.

• Azathioprine+etanercept- Using etanercept together with azathioprine may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

• Azathioprine+golimumab- Using azathioprine together with golimumab may increase the risk of serious and potentially life-threatening infections. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

Mechanism of action

Azathioprine antagonizes purine metabolism and may inhibit synthesis of DNA, RNA, and proteins. It may also interfere with cellular metabolism and inhibit mitosis. Its mechanism of action is likely due to incorporation of thiopurine analogues into the DNA structure, causing chain termination and cytotoxicity.

Pregnancy Category : D