ALBENDAZOLE (albendazole)

There are 0 contraindications.

There are 5 severe contraindications. Adequate patient monitoring is recommended for safer drug use.

Severe List
Aplastic anemia
Disease of liver
Neutropenic disorder
Pancytopenia
Pregnancy

There are 1 moderate contraindications. Clinically significant contraindication, where the condition can be managed or treated before the drug may be given safely.

Moderate List
Anemia

There are 15 severe adverse reactions.

More Frequent	Less Frequent
None.	Abnormal hepatic function tests

Rare/Very Rare
Acute hepatic failure Acute renal failure Agranulocytosis Bone marrow depression Erythema multiforme Granulocytopenic disorder Hepatitis Intracranial hypertension Pancytopenia Rhabdomyolysis Seizure disorder Stevens-johnson syndrome Thrombocytopenic disorder Urticaria

There are 15 less severe adverse reactions.

More Frequent	Less Frequent
Acute abdominal pain Alopecia Dizziness Headache disorder Nausea	Vertigo Vomiting

Rare/Very Rare
Aplastic anemia Blurred vision Diarrhea Drowsy Drug fever General weakness Neutropenic disorder Skin rash

Albendazole may cause harm to the fetus. The drug should be used during pregnancy only if potential benefits justify the risks to the fetus and only when no alternative management is appropriate. Albendazole should be initiated in women of childbearing age only after a negative pregnancy test.

Women of childbearing potential should be advised to use effective contraceptive measures during albendazole treatment and for 1 month after treatment with the drug is discontinued. If a patient becomes pregnant while receiving albendazole, the drug should be immediately discontinued and the woman should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus. Teratogenic effects (embryotoxicity, skeletal malformations) have been reported in rats and rabbits.

In rats, albendazole was teratogenic at oral dosages of 10 and 30 mg/kg daily (approximately 0.1 and 0.3 times the recommended human dosage, respectively) given during gestation days 6-15. In rabbits, teratogenic effects were reported at oral dosages of 30 mg/kg daily (0.6 times the recommended human dosage) given during gestation days 7-19. Maternal toxicity (33% mortality) was reported in rabbits receiving an albendazole dosage of 30 mg/kg daily.

Albendazole is distributed into milk in animals; distribution into human milk also has been reported. Albendazole should be used with caution in nursing women.

Data are insufficient to determine whether safety and efficacy of albendazole for the treatment of neurocysticercosis or hydatid disease in patients 65 years of age and older differ from that in younger patients. Albendazole pharmacokinetics in geriatric patients have not been fully evaluated, but data from adults up to 79 years of age with hydatid cysts suggest that pharmacokinetics in these patients are similar to that in younger patients.