Serious Aranesp Side Effects
Some side effects with
Aranesp, while occurring infrequently, are potentially serious and should be reported immediately to your healthcare provider. These include, but are not limited to:
- High blood pressure (hypertension) or low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Signs of congestive heart failure (CHF), such as difficulty breathing, swelling or water retention, weight gain, or cough
- An irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia) or a sudden loss in heart function (cardiac arrest)
- Heart attack, stroke, or blood clots
- Increased growth of cancers
- Seizures
- Signs of an allergic reaction, including unexplained rash, hives, itching, and unexplained swelling.
Serious Aranesp side effects seem to be more common if Aranesp therapy is too aggressive. The medication should be dosed using a specific target for hemoglobin levels (a measure of anemia). The target hemoglobin level is 12 g/dL, and the target should be achieved gradually. If a higher hemoglobin target is used (or if hemoglobin is raised too quickly), serious side effects are more likely.
Final Thoughts on Aranesp Side Effects
It is possible that you may experience some or none of the Aranesp side effects listed in this article. Unfortunately, there is no way for your healthcare provider to know beforehand whether you will have side effects from a medicine that you have never tried. Therefore, make sure to let your healthcare provider know if you develop any side effects while taking Aranesp or if something "just does not seem right." While it may not be a side effect, your healthcare provider will be able to diagnose and treat the problem.
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