Cinryze – Information, Use and Side Effects

Drug Trade Name: Cinryze

Category: Immunomodulators

Generic Name: complement C1 esterase inhibitor

Introduction and Quick information:

Cinryze is man-made form of protein that helps in controlling swelling in the body. People with Hereditary angioedema do not have enough of this particular protein.  This man-made protein prevents angioedema attacks in adults as well in teenagers with HAE (Hereditary Angioedema). It is a C1 esterase inhibitor (human).

 Cinryze acts by helping to control inflammation in our body. This drug helps prevent the painful attacks or/& swelling that occur with Hereditary Angioedema. Cinryze should be given with caution in children; effectiveness & safety in children has not been confirmed.

Is it Approved By U.S. FDA?

This is a U.S. FDA approved medicine. It was approved in October 2008.

Usage and Benefits of Cinryze:

It is used to –

• Prevent the angioedema attacks in teenagers as well as in adults with HAE (Hereditary Angioedema).
• Control inflammation

Cinryze Side-Effects:

It is necessary to understand that most dtugs have a wide range of adverse effects that are often not experienced and sometimes noticed for a short while.

Some side effects occur abruptly particularly on the first using this drug. These are observed in few people and the reason behind this is yet not certain.

Although these frequent effects are very common yet you should discuss with a doctor about all possible unwanted effects that might be associated with the use of it to be on the safer side.

• Chest pain
• Rash
• Cough
• Wheezing or tightness in the chest
• Chills
• Fever
• Headache
• Hoarseness
• Runny nose
• Tenderness or pain around the cheekbones and eyes
• Head congestion
• Nasal congestion
• Troubled breathing or shortness of breath
• Ear pain or congestion
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sneezing
• Sore throat   

If you feel any of these severe side effects, discontinue using this medicine and seek out medical attention right away.

General Recommended Dosages of Cinryze:

Cinryze is available in powder, injection, lyophilized forms. People should take this drug as it is recommended by their doctor or as directed on the label.

Cinryze may be administered as an injection at hospital or your doctor’s clinic. You should not use this drug at home unless your medical healthcare provider teaches how to use it.  

Cinryze should be properly mixed before using it. Its color turns slightly blue after mixing. Do not use this medicine if it is discolored or cloudy or contains particles.

In case I miss the Dose?

As we know nowadays life is very fast, people are busy with their work & hardly get time out of their hectic schedule. So, it is very common to miss the dose of a medicine. Well, if it has  slipped from your mind to take medicine on time, you must take it as soon as you remember. If you forgot to have your first scheduled dose & it is a time to take next scheduled dose, in this situation you should take only the second dose of medicine instead of having a double dose.

You must contact your medical healthcare provider if you are a little bit skeptic about the missed dose.

In case I take overdose?

Different people react in a different way to a drug overdose. Newborn babies, old people and children are more likely to develop serious side effects as compared to adults.

Cinryze overdose symptoms are as follows:

• Changes in vision consciousness or speech
• Chest pain
• One-sided weakness
• Loss of muscle control
• Pain, swelling or numbness in your legs or arms
• Persistent or severe headache
• Shortness of breath
• Risk of blood clots (eg, in lungs or veins) is increased

If you have swallowed a huge quantity of this medicine, you must contact your doctor or Poison Control Center (PCC) at the earliest before the condition turns unmanageable.

Drug Interactions of Cinryze:

Drug interaction is a very serious problem. Some people are not aware of it & consume more than one drug at the same time. A drug interaction is a condition in which a drug or substance affects the action of a drug i.e effects of a drug are increased, reduced or new effects produce on its own that are harmful to health.Fortunately, drug interaction occurs in the only small proportion of people who take the interacting combinations.

Medicines may interact with Cinryze, although no drug interaction has been seen so far it does not mean it cannot occur. You must let your medical healthcare professional know about all medication that you consume, be it over the counter medication such as vitamins, minerals or any other prescribed drugs.

Lifestyle and Food Habits you Must Follow When on Cinryze:

Our lifestyle & food habits are something that might increase, decrease the effectiveness of a medicine. Some people drink regularly but they don’t know that alcohol can decrease the efficacy of a drug. So, you must inform your medical healthcare provider about your way of living like at what time you wake up & sleep, eating habits such as daily consumptions of fat, carbohydrates or protein, intake of fruits, fresh vegetables etc.

A doctor might ask you to have some specific vegetables or fruits with the prescribed dose of a medicine to increase the efficiency of drug.

How safe is Cinryze for Pregnant women or Nursing Mothers?

Cinryze is under pregnancy category C by U.S. FDA. It is advised to use use it with caution if benefits outweigh risks. Animal studies show risk and human studies not available or neither animal nor human studies done. It is not clear, whether this drug can affect reproduction capacity or can cause fetal harm when given to pregnant women. You must inform your doctor before using it, if you are pregnant or planning to be pregnant.

It is not clear whether this drug is passed into human breast milk. Caution must be taken when this medicine is given to nursing women.

Complications and Conditions Possible Due to Prolonged Use of Cinryze:

Prolonged periods of exposure to drugs can reduce their efficiency, causing a declined response to same dose over time. This causes an increase in the drug dosage to get the same response, as well increase in side-effects from the medicines.

Availability of Cinryze:

This medicine is available by prescription only. You can buy it at a medical store; any medical centers or government recognized hospitals. You may also know about its availability by asking your doctor.