AcuTect Side Effects

AcuTect (technetium Tc 99m apcitide)
side effects

What is AcuTect used for?

AcuTect is a radioactive imaging test used to diagnose acute venous thrombosis
(sudden blood clots) in the legs. AcuTect appears to detect acute and not chronic
venous thrombosis.

Special Warning(s) with AcuTect:

If you are experiencing the signs and symptoms of acute venous thrombosis,
your doctor will determine whether or not to withhold any anticoagulant drugs
(drugs used to thin the blood) that you may be taking. This decision should not be
based on a negative AcuTect study alone.

If you have a history of drug reactions, other allergies, or immune system
disorders, your doctor may want to observe you for several hours after AcuTect is
given because long-term information is not available. Emergency equipment and
health care professionals trained to recognize and treat severe allergic reactions
should be available.

General Precautions with AcuTect:

The contents of AcuTect Kit must be used in a reconstituted form. AcuTect is a
radioactive drug and must be handled with care. Appropriate safety measures
should be taken to minimize exposure to clinical personnel and to the patient.

AcuTect should be used only by doctors who are licensed to use radioactive
drugs.

To decrease the radiation absorbed by the bladder, you should drink plenty of
fluids to ensure frequent urination during the first several hours after the AcuTect
injection. The radioactive drug generally is eliminated over about 24 hours with
75% occurring during the first 8 hours.

If you are unable to control your urination completely, your doctor may insert a
bladder catheter (tube) to minimize the risk of radioactive contamination of your
clothing, bed linen, and environment.

To protect yourself and others, you need to take the following precautions for 12
hours after your dose of AcuTect:

Use a toilet and not a urinal
Flush the toilet several times after each use
Clean up any spilled urine immediately
Wash your hands thoroughly after each time you go to the toilet
If blood or urine gets onto clothing, the clothing should be washed separately
What should I tell my doctor or health care provider?

Tell your health care provider if you are trying to become pregnant, or are already
pregnant. If you are breast-feeding, it is recommended that you switch to infant
formula while AcuTect is used and until the radioactive drug is eliminated from
your system.

What are some possible side effects of AcuTect?

AcuTect is generally well tolerated. Your health care provider can discuss with you
a complete list of possible side effects.

For more detailed information about AcuTect, ask your health care provider.
[1] Clinical Policy Bulletin: AcuTect Scintigraphic Imaging for Detection of
Lower Limb Deep Vein Thrombosis www.aetna.com

AcuTect (Diatide, Inc., Londenderry, NH) is a complex of a small-molecule
synthetic peptide, apcitide, and the radionuclide, technetium (Tc) 99m (a
gamma ray emitter). Apcitide binds preferentially to glycoprotein IIb/IIIa
receptors, which are expressed on the surface of activated platelets, a major
component of active thrombus formation. Thus, it may localize at sites where
blood clots are present or forming. [1]