Lucrin

Drugs

Generic Name: Leuprorelin acetate
Product Name: Lucrin

Indication of Lucrin
Action of Lucrin
Dose advice of Lucrin
Schedule of Lucrin
Common side effects of Lucrin
Uncommon side effects of Lucrin
Reference

Indication of Lucrin:

Lucrin (leuprorelin acetate) is a drug that is currently used to treat advanced cancer of the prostate gland, as well as other hormonal conditions affecting the reproductive organs including

Endometriosis
Uterine fibroids
Endometrial thinning
Advanced breast cancer in premenopausal women
Precocious puberty

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Action of Lucrin:

Lucrin (Leuprorelin) is a drug that mimics the action of a hormone called gonadotrophin releasing hormone. This hormone when present in the body stimulates the production of sex steroids by the reproductive organs, the ovary and the testes. The key to the normal function of this hormone is the fact that it is released in pulses. But when used as a drug for long periods of time, the levels of this artificial hormone become consistently high. This has the effect of causing reduced production of hormones by the reproductive organs, and it is this effect that is believed to cause a reduction in tumour growth in people with advanced prostate cancer.

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Dose advice of Lucrin:

Lucrin is given via an injection into the fatty tissue under the skin (subcutaneous). The doctor will change the site of injection regularly.

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Schedule of Lucrin:

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Common side effects of Lucrin:

hot flushes
sweating
loss of menstruation (amenorrhoea)
withdrawal bleeding
sexual dysfunction
reduced libido
vaginal dryness
changes in breast size breast tenderness
joint pains (arthralgia)
muscle pains (myalgia)
peripheral oedema
dizziness
headache
nausea
vomiting
constipation
mood changes
injection site reaction
thrombophlebitis - inflammation of a vein with an associated blood clot
decreased bone mass

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Uncommon side effects of Lucrin:

Bronchospasm (contraction and narrowing of the airways in the lungs)
Rash
Altered sensation (paraesthesia)
depression

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Reference:

'Leuprorelin' [online], AMH, 2006, Available at URL: http://www.amh.net.au (last accessed 31/07/2006)
'Lucrin Prescribing information' [online], MIMS, 2006, Available at URL: http://www.mims.com.au (last accessed 31/07/2006)

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