Somatropin

Brand Names

Genotropin, Genotropin Miniquick, Humatrope, Norditropin, Nutropin, HumatroPen, Omnitrope, Saizen, Serostim

What is Somatropin

Somatropin is a medicine that is used to treat growth failure in children and adults who lack natural growth hormone and in those with chronic kidney failure, Noonan syndrome, Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, short stature at birth with no catch-up growth and other causes. It is also used to prevent severe weight loss in people with AIDS or to treat short bowel syndrome. Somatropin is a form of human growth hormone.

Side effects of Somatropin

Side effects of Somatropin are the followings:

• headache, feeling tired;
• redness, soreness, swelling, rash, itching, pain, or bruising where the medicine was injected;
• pain in your arms or legs, joint stiffness or pain;
• muscle pain;
• cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat.

But if you have any of these serious symptoms it is necessary to visit your doctor immediately:

• severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate;
• increased thirst, increased urination, hunger, dry mouth, fruity breath odor, drowsiness, dry skin, blurred vision and weight loss;
• sudden and severe pain behind your eyes, vision changes;
• swelling in your head, face, hands or feet;
• numbness or tingling in your wrist, hand or fingers.

Indication

Somatropin is used to treat growth failure in children and adults who lack natural growth hormone and in those with chronic kidney failure, Noonan syndrome, Turner syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, short stature at birth with no catch-up growth and other causes. It is also used to prevent severe weight loss in people with AIDS or to treat short bowel syndrome.

Precautions

Before using Somatropin you should inform your doctor if you have:

• liver disease;
• kidney disease (or if you are on dialysis);
• diabetes;
• a pituitary gland disorder;
• scoliosis;
• high blood pressure (hypertension);
• a pancreas disorder (especially in children);
• a history of cancer;
• carpal tunnel syndrome;
• underactive thyroid;
• a brain tumor or lesion.

You should not take this medication if you are allergic to somatropin or if you have:

• diabetic retinopathy (a serious eye condition caused by diabetes);
• cancer;
• Prader-Willi syndrome;
• sleep apnea;
• severe respiratory (lung) problems;
• if you are overweight.

Dosage forms

Usual adult dose for Adult Human Growth Hormone Deficiency is 0.006 mg/kg/day subcutaneously or IM every day.

Usual adult dose for Burns, Nitrogen Retention is 0.006 mg/kg/day subcutaneously or IM every day.

Usual adult dose for Cachexia is:

• less than 35 kg - 0.1 mg/kg;
• 35 kg to 44 kg - 4 mg;
• 45 kg to 55 kg - 5 mg;
• greater than 55 kg - 6 mg.

Usual adult dose for Short Bowel Syndrome is 0.1 mg/kg subcutaneously once daily. Maximum 8 mg daily.