Herticad Special Precautions

The doctor will closely supervise the therapy.
Heart checks: Treatment with Trastuzumab alone or with a taxane may affect the heart, especially if the patient has ever used an anthracycline (taxanes and anthracyclines are two other kinds of medicine used to treat cancer).
The effects may be moderate to severe and could cause death. Therefore, the heart function will be checked before, during (every three months) and after (up to two to five years) treatment with Trastuzumab.
If the patient develops any signs of heart failure (inadequate pumping of blood by the heart), the heart function may be checked more frequently (every six to eight weeks), patient may receive treatment for heart failure or patient may have to stop Trastuzumab treatment.
Talk to the doctor, pharmacist or nurse before patient is given Trastuzumab if: patient had heart failure, coronary artery disease, heart valve disease (heart murmurs), high blood pressure, taken any high blood pressure medicine or are currently taking any high blood pressure medicine.
The patient has ever had or are currently using a medicine called doxorubicin or epirubicin (medicines used to treat cancer). These medicines (or any other anthracyclines) can damage heart muscle and increase the risk of heart problems with trastuzumab.
The patient suffers from breathlessness, especially if patient is currently using a taxane. Trastuzumab can cause breathing difficulties before treatment have died when they were given trastuzumab.
The patient has ever had any other treatment for cancer.
If the patient receives Trastuzumab with any other medicine to treat cancer, such as paclitaxel, docetaxel, an aromatase inhibitor, capecitabine, 5-fluorouracil, or cisplatin the patient should also read the patient information leaflets for these products.
Driving and using machines: It is not known whether Trastuzumab can affect the ability to drive a car or operate machines. However, if during treatment the patient experiences symptoms, such as chills or fever, patient should not drive or use machines until these symptoms disappear.
Use in Children: Trastuzumab is not recommended for anyone under the age of 18 years.