Nintedanib
About
Nintedanib belongs to the category of 'anti-fibrotic medicine', and it is primarily used to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in adults. IPF is an irreversible disease marked by a progressive decline in lung function. The tissues in the lungs become swollen and scarred over time, due to which it gets difficult to breathe deeply. The scarring makes it hard for the lungs to work properly.
Nintedanib contains 'Nintedanib', which helps reduce the scarring and swelling in the lungs by decreasing the release/activity of naturally occurring growth factors in the body, allowing you to breathe better. Nintedanib helps in slowing down the progress of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Always use this medicine as your doctor has told you or per the package leaflet. You must keep to your doctor's instructions to get the maximum benefit. In some cases, you may experience common side effects such as nausea, tiredness, diarrhoea, indigestion, loss of appetite, headache, and photosensitivity. Most of these side effects do not require medical attention and will resolve gradually over time. However, you are advised to talk to your doctor if you experience these side effects persistently.
Consult your doctor before taking Nintedanib if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Nintedanib may cause tiredness and dizziness, so drive with caution. Avoid consuming alcohol with Nintedanib as it could lead to increased dizziness. Nintedanib is not recommended for children below 18 years as safety and effectiveness have not been established. Nintedanib is listed as pregnancy category D. Because Nintedanib can cause harm to the fetus, women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant while receiving treatment with Nintedanib. Consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding; your doctor will decide whether the Nintedanib can be taken by breastfeeding mothers or not. Keep your doctor informed about your health condition and medicines to rule out any side effects.
Uses of Nintedanib
Medicinal Benefits
Nintedanib is an anti-fibrotic medicine used to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) in adults. Nintedanib can help effectively slow the rate of lung function decline by 50%. Nintedanib helps reduce the scarring and swelling in the lungs by decreasing the release/activity of naturally occurring growth factors in the body, allowing you to breathe better. Nintedanib helps in slowing down the progress of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Nintedanib
- Diarrhoea
- Feeling and being sick
- Tummy (Abdominal) Pain
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Do not use Nintedanib if you are allergic to any components present in Nintedanib. Nintedanib is listed as pregnancy category D; because Nintedanib can cause harm to the fetus, women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant while receiving treatment with Nintedanib. Consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding; your doctor will decide whether the Nintedanib can be taken by breastfeeding mothers or not. Keep your doctor informed about your health condition and medicines to rule out any side effects. Nintedanib may cause tiredness and dizziness, so drive with caution. Avoid consuming alcohol with Nintedanib as it could lead to increased dizziness. Nintedanib is not recommended for children below 18 years as safety and effectiveness have not been established.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Nintedanib may have interaction with medicines used to treat fungal infections (e.g. ketoconazole), medications used to treat bacterial infections/CYP3A4 inhibitors (e.g. erythromycin), drugs that affect your immune system (e.g. cyclosporine), antibiotic medicines used to treat tuberculosis (e.g. rifampicin), medicines to treat seizures (e.g. carbamazepine, phenytoin), and herbal medicines to treat depression (e.g. St. John’s Wort).
Drug-Food Interactions: Avoid grapefruit juice and chargrilled meats.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Nintedanib may interact with smoking and severe hepatic and end-stage renal impairment requiring dialysis.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
cautionIt is not known if alcohol interacts with Nintedanib. However, as a precautionary measure, you are recommended not to consume alcohol with the Nintedanib to avoid unpleasant side effects.
Pregnancy
unsafeNintedanib is listed as pregnancy category D. Because Nintedanib can cause harm to the fetus, women of childbearing potential should be advised to avoid becoming pregnant while receiving treatment with Nintedanib.
Breast Feeding
cautionConsult your doctor if you are breastfeeding; your doctor will decide whether Nintedanib can be taken by breastfeeding mothers or not.
Driving
cautionNintedanib may significantly influence your ability to drive and use machines. You should not drive or operate machinery if you feel sick.
Liver
cautionDose adjustment may be needed. Nintedanib is not recommended for patients with severe hepatic impairment. Please consult your doctor if you have a liver impairment or any concerns.
Kidney
cautionDose adjustment may be needed. Nintedanib is not recommended for patients with an end-stage renal disease requiring dialysis. Please consult your doctor if you have kidney impairment or any concerns.
Children
cautionNintedanib is not recommended for children below 18 years as safety and effectiveness have not been established.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Watch out for triggers that worsen the cough, such as smoke, foods, air-conditioning, high altitude, etc.
- Exercise moderately. Eat healthily.
- Follow pulmonary rehabilitation program. It includes exercise, disease education, and group therapy.
- Quit smoking and alcohol.
- Get ample rest.
- Include green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, mangoes, citrus fruits, berries, and cocoa.
- Lean proteins such as fish, meat, and poultry are the best.
- Hydration is important. Drink plenty of water, herbal tea, and vegetable and fruit juices.
- Avoid processed and refined foods.
Special Advise
- Regular blood tests and occasional tests of your bone marrow will be carried out to check whether the treatment is working. If it does work, it will usually be taken for life.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF): Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis belongs to a group of interstitial lung diseases. It is an irreversible chronic disease marked by a progressive decline in lung function. The tissues in the lungs become inflamed and scarred over time, due to which it gets difficult to breathe properly. The scar tissue, known as fibrosis, becomes thick /stiff over time, making it hard for the lungs to work efficiently. This causes decreased lung function, which leads to increased breathlessness and coughing. Breathing difficulties can lead to other medical problems. Symptoms of IPF are shortness of breath, persistent dry cough, loss of appetite, weight loss, and rounded and widened tips of the fingers and toes.
FAQs
Nintedanib helps reduce the scarring and swelling in the lungs by decreasing the release/activity of naturally occurring growth factors in the body, thereby helps you breathe better.
Avoid smoking before starting the treatment while taking Nintedanib as smoking might alter the effectiveness of Nintedanib.
Nintedanib should be stopped when a person faces a serious side effect that affects life quality. Otherwise, it would be best to keep taking Nintedanib until your doctor asks you to stop it.
If you have any surgery, including dental surgery, please inform your doctor if you are taking Nintedanib as your doctor might stop Nintedanib before undergoing surgery.
In elderly patients, the risk of side effects is more if you are taking Nintedanib. For the patients who are elderly, dose adjustment might be required, or your doctor might prescribe any other medication safe for the elderly.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is treated with Nintedanib (IPF; scarring of the lungs with an unknown cause). It's also used to treat fibrosing interstitial lung disorders.
