Pentamidine is used to prevent pneumonia (lung infection) caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii (a type of fungus), especially in people with weakened immune systems due to medical conditions or immunosuppressive medications.
Pentamidine is inhaled into the lungs through a special machine (nebulizer).
Please contact your healthcare provider to re-schedule your appointment for pentamidine administration.
Inform your healthcare professional if:
- You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication
- You are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding:
- You have asthma, pancreatitis (inflammation of pancreas)
- You are taking any other medications, including supplements, traditional medications and herbal remedies.
- Cough, shortness of breath
- Your doctor may prescribe an inhaled medication to open up the airways to be administered prior to each dose
- Decreased appetite
- Bad taste in mouth
- Feeling dizzy and tired
The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:
- Swollen face/eyes/lips/tongue
- Difficulty in breathing
- Itchy skin rashes over your whole body
Some of these rare side effects include:
- Liver problem: Signs include dark urine or light coloured stools, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, stomach pain, yellowing of your eyes or skin
- Kidney problem: unable to pass urine
- if you have signs of high or low blood sugar like breath that smells like fruit, dizziness, fast breathing, fast heartbeat, feeling confused, feeling weak, flushing, headache, unusual thirst or hunger, passing urine more often, shaking, or sweating
- Low calcium : Muscle cramps or spasms, numbness and tingling, or seizures.
- Chest pain, fast heartbeat
If you experience any of these symptoms, you should inform your healthcare professional immediately.
Store in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight. Keep this medication away from children.
Pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing it into the rubbish chute or bin.
Disclaimer
Please take note that the above is not a complete list of all possible side-effects. If you have any concerns about your medication or if you have other side-effects that you think are caused by this medication, please consult your doctor or pharmacist. If you take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.
This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (NHG Health, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.
