Hydrea Capsules — Hydroxyurea 500 mg (30 Caps) Everest

Prescribed by hematologists/oncologists for adult patients with:

• 🔹 Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML): For resistant chronic phase or palliative control.
• 🔹 Essential Thrombocythemia: To lower platelet counts and reduce thrombosis risk.
• 🔹 Polycythemia Vera: To control red blood cell mass and blood viscosity.
• 🔹 Head and Neck Cancer / Cervical Cancer: Used concurrently with radiation therapy to enhance its effectiveness (radiosensitizer).

Sales Unit: Bottle containing 30 capsules (500 mg strength).

⚠️ APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• Dosing: Strictly individualized based on the patient's actual or ideal body weight (typically 20–30 mg/kg daily).
• Administration: Swallow the capsule whole with water. Do not chew. Can be taken as a single dose or divided doses.
• Safety: The powder inside is cytotoxic. Do not open capsules. If powder spills, wipe up with a damp cloth immediately; avoid inhaling.
• ✋ Monitoring: Weekly complete blood counts (CBC) are mandatory during the initiation of therapy.

• ⛔ Pregnancy & Breastfeeding: Strictly contraindicated due to risk of birth defects.
• Severe bone marrow depression: Leukopenia (< 2.5×10⁹/L) or Thrombocytopenia (< 100×10⁹/L).
• Severe anemia (must be corrected before starting treatment).
• Hypersensitivity to Hydroxyurea.

Bone marrow suppression is the dose-limiting toxicity. Potential side effects:

• 📉 Hematologic: Leukopenia (infection risk), thrombocytopenia (bleeding risk), and anemia.
• 🤢 Gastrointestinal: Nausea, vomiting, stomatitis (mouth sores).
• 🧬 Dermatologic: Skin dryness, hyperpigmentation (darkening), and rarely skin ulcers with long-term use.
• 🦠 General: Fever, chills.