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Tretinoin [Specialist drug]: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Tretinoin [Specialist drug] clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Tretinoin [Specialist drug]: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Tretinoin [Specialist drug] clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
Indications and dose
**Acute promyelocytic leukaemia**
- **Adult** (By Mouth): Specialist drug - access specialist resources for dosing information.
Side effects
For tretinoin [Specialist drug] Common or very common Abdominal pain; alopecia; anxiety; appetite decreased; arrhythmia; asthma; bone pain; cheilitis; chest pain; chills; confusion; conjunctival disorder; constipation; depression; diarrhoea; dizziness; dry mouth; flushing; headache; hearing impairment; hyperhidrosis; insomnia; intracranial pressure increased; malaise; nasal dryness; nausea; pancreatitis; paraesthesia; respiratory disorders; skin reactions; visual impairment; vomiting Frequency not known Embolism and thrombosis; erythema nodosum; genital ulceration; hypercalcaemia; increased leucocytes; mood altered; myocardial infarction; myositis; necrotising fasciitis; stroke; thrombocytosis; vasculitis Side-effects, further information Retinoic acid syndrome Fever, dyspnoea, acute respiratory distress, pulmonary infiltrates, pleural effusion, hyperleucocytosis, hypotension, oedema, weight gain, hepatic, renal and multi-organ failure requires immediate treatment-consult product literature.
Pregnancy
Important safety information For tretinoin [Specialist drug] MHRA/CHM advice: Oral retinoid medicines: revised and simplified pregnancy prevention educational materials for healthcare professionals and women (June 2019) With oral use: Materials to support the Pregnancy Prevention Programme in women and girls of childbearing potential taking oral acitretin, alitretinoin, or isotretinoin have been updated. Oral tretinoin and bexarotene do not have a Pregnancy Prevention Programme in light of their oncology indication and specialist care setting. However, healthcare professionals are advised that these medicines are extremely teratogenic and product information should be consulted for contraceptive and pregnancy testing requirements when used in females of childbearing potential. Neuropsychiatric reactions have been reported in patients taking oral retinoids. Healthcare professionals are advised to monitor patients for signs of depression or suicidal ideation and refer for appropriate treatment, if necessary; particular care is needed in those with a history of depression. Patients should be advised to speak to their doctor if they experience any changes in mood or behaviour, and encouraged to ask family and friends to look out for any change in mood.
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Clinical governance
**Author:** MedNext Clinical Team. **Clinical reviewer:** Dr Shameer Deen, MBBS, MS, MRCS. **Sources:** BNF, Indian Pharmacopoeia, CIMS India. **Correction:** Report errors at support@mednext.academy.
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