Hydrea 500 mg

Hydroxycarbamide, also known as hydroxyurea or Hydrea 500mg, is a medication used in sickle-cell disease, chronic myelogenous leukemia, cervical cancer, and essential thrombocytopenia. In sickle-cell disease, it increases fetal hemoglobin and decreases the number of attacks.

Hydrea 500mg is used for the following indications:

• Myeloproliferative disease - primarily essential thrombocythemia and polycythemia vera. It has been found to be superior to anagrelide for the control of ET.
• Sickle-cell disease - increases the production of fetal hemoglobin that then interferes with the hemoglobin polymerization as well as by reducing white blood cells that contribute to the general inflammatory state in sickle cell patients.
• Second-line treatment for psoriasis - slows down the rapid division of skin cells
• Psoriasis
• Systemic mastocytosis
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia - largely replaced by imatinib, but still in use for its cost-effectiveness

Side effects:

• bone marrow suppression
• fevers
• loss of appetite
• psychiatric problems
• shortness of breath
• headaches
• increases the risk of later cancers