methyl aminolevulinate topical

M

Generic Name: methyl aminolevulinate (topical) (METH il a MEE noe LEV ue LIN ate)
Brand Names: Metvixia

What is methyl aminolevulinate?

Methyl aminolevulinate makes your skin more sensitive to light. It works by causing a reaction with light that can destroy certain types of diseased skin cells.

Methyl aminolevulinate topical (for the skin) is used in combination with red light therapy to treat a skin condition called actinic keratosis of the face and scalp.

Methyl aminolevulinate may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about methyl aminolevulinate? You should not use this medication if you are allergic to methyl aminolevulinate, porphyrins, peanuts or almonds, or if your skin is especially sensitive to light.

Before you are treated with methyl aminolevulinate, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Also tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially drugs that can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, such as certain antibiotics, heart or blood pressure medications, diuretics (water pills), sulfa drugs, oral diabetes medications, or NSAID pain or arthritis medicines.

Methyl aminolevulinate is applied by a healthcare provider in a clinic setting. For at least 48 hours after your treatment, avoid exposing treated skin to sunlight, sunlamps, tanning beds, or other bright lights. Sunscreen is not effective enough to protect treated skin from harm caused by bring light during this time. Wear protective clothing whenever you are outdoors. Call your doctor at once if you have severe stinging, burning, redness, oozing, or swelling of treated skin areas, especially if you have these effects for longer than 3 weeks after treatment.

It may take several weeks before you notice improvement in your skin condition. Your doctor will need to check your treated skin 3 months after the end of your last treatment with methyl aminolevulinate.

Your skin lesions may need to be treated more than once, and they may come back after treatment. Talk to your doctor about the number of treatments needed to treat your condition. What should I discuss with my health care provider before taking methyl aminolevulinate? You should not use this medication if you are allergic to methyl aminolevulinate, or if you have:

an allergy to peanuts or almonds;

an allergy to porphyrins; or

if your skin is especially sensitive to light.

Before you are treated with methyl aminolevulinate, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether methyl aminolevulinate is harmful to an unborn baby. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether methyl aminolevulinate passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. How is methyl aminolevulinate used?

Methyl aminolevulinate topical is a cream that is applied to actinic keratosis skin lesions prior to red light treatment. Your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare provider will prepare your skin and apply this medication in a clinic setting.

Prior to application of methyl aminolevulinate, your skin lesions will be gently scraped to remove any scales or crusting. After the medication is applied, your caregiver will cover the treatment area with a bandage. You will need to leave this bandage in place for 3 hours.

During this 3-hour period, avoid exposure to cold temperatures and sunlight or bright indoor lights. Wear a wide-brimmed hat if you must be outdoors during this time.

After your bandaging is removed, any excess medication will be removed with a saline solution. You will then be ready to receive the light treatment.

You will be given eye-wear to protect your eyes during red light treatment.

You may feel a slight stinging or burning during light therapy. Tell your caregivers if you have any type of severe discomfort.

Methyl aminolevulinate and red light therapy is usually given in two sessions one week apart. Your treatment schedule may be different. Follow your doctor's instructions.

It may take several weeks before you notice improvement in your skin condition. Your doctor will need to check your treated skin 3 months after the end of your last treatment with methyl aminolevulinate.

Your skin lesions may need to be treated more than once, and they may come back after treatment. Talk to your doctor about the number of treatments needed to treat your condition. What happens if I miss a dose?

Since methyl aminolevulinate is applied only when needed prior to red light therapy, you will not be on a dosing schedule.

What happens if I overdose? Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Symptoms of a methyl aminolevulinate overdose are not known.

What should I avoid while taking methyl aminolevulinate? Tell your caregivers right away if any of this medication gets into your eyes, mouth, or nose. Avoid touching the treated skin areas after methyl aminolevulinate cream has been applied to them. Special gloves must be worn by the healthcare provider while applying this medication, and you should not allow your own fingers to come into contact with the cream on your skin. For at least 48 hours after your treatment, avoid exposing treated skin to sunlight, sunlamps, tanning beds, or other bright lights. Sunscreen is not effective enough to protect treated skin from harm caused by bring light during this time. Wear protective clothing whenever you are outdoors.

Even if you do not receive the light therapy portion of your treatment, you must still protect your skin from light for 48 hours after the cream was applied.

Methyl aminolevulinate side effects Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have severe stinging, burning, redness, oozing, or swelling of treated skin areas, especially if you have these effects for longer than 3 weeks after treatment.

Less serious side effects may include:

mild skin redness, warmth, burning, or swelling;

puffy eyes;

slight pain; or

itching, peeling, scabs or crusting of treated skin.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

Methyl aminolevulinate Dosing Information

Usual Adult Dose for Keratosis:

Non-hyperkeratotic, nonpigmented actinic keratoses of the face and scalp in immunocompetent patients: Apply directly on lesion(s), up to a total of 1 gram (half tube) per each treatment session. Two sessions one week apart should be administered. Cream application should be followed by photoactivation with Aktilite CL 128 lamp red light illumination.
Prior to cream application, a small dermal curette should be used to remove scales and crusts and to roughen the surface of the lesion(s). An approximately 1 mm-thick layer of cream should be applied with a spatula to each lesion and the surrounding 5 mm of normal skin. The application area should then be covered with an occlusive, nonabsorbent dressing for 3 hours (2.5 to 4 hours). Multiple lesions may be treated during the same session, up to an area of 80 X 180 mm (the area of illumination).
Following removal of the occlusive dressing, clean the area with saline and gauze before beginning Aktilite red light treatment. The light dose to be used is 37 J/cm2, and the lamp should be placed 50 to 80 mm (2 to 3.2 inches) from the skin. The required illumination time (7 to 10 minutes) is calculated automatically. Both the patient and operator should wear appropriate eye protection during illumination and avoid staring into the beam. The illumination stops automatically.
If Aktilite red light treatment is interrupted or stopped for any reason, it may be restarted. If the patient cannot have the red light treatment during the prescribed period after application, the cream should be rinsed off and the patient should protect the exposed area from sunlight and prolonged or intense light for at least 48 hours.

What other drugs will affect methyl aminolevulinate?

Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially drugs that can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight, such as:

amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone);

diabetes medications you take by mouth;

diltiazem (Tiazac, Cartia, Cardizem);

furosemide (Lasix);

porfimer (Photofrin);

quinidine (Quinaglute, Quinidex, Quin-Release);

tacrolimus (Prograf);

verteporfin (Visudyne);

an ACE inhibitor such as benazepril (Lotensin), captopril (Capoten), fosinopril (Monopril), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), moexipril (Univasc), perindopril (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril), ramipril (Altace), or trandolapril (Mavik);

an antibiotic such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), doxycycline (Adoxa, Doryx, Oracea, Vibramycin), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin, Solodyn, Vectrin), levofloxacin (Levaquin), ofloxacin (Floxin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), tetracycline (Brodspec, Panmycin, Sumycin, Tetracap);

a diuretic (water pill) such as hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), contained in Aldoril, Atacand, Capozide, HydroDiuril, Hyzaar, Lopressor, Lotensin, Moduretic, Monopril, Tekturna, Teveten, Vaseretic, Zestoretic, Ziac, and others;

an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), and others; or

a sulfa drug (such as Bactrim, Septra, SMX-TMP, and others).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with methyl aminolevulinate. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

More methyl aminolevulinate resources Methyl aminolevulinate Side Effects (in more detail)Methyl aminolevulinate DosageMethyl aminolevulinate Use in Pregnancy & BreastfeedingMethyl aminolevulinate Drug InteractionsMethyl aminolevulinate Support Group0 Reviews for Methyl aminolevulinate - Add your own review/rating Metvixia Prescribing Information (FDA) Metvixia Advanced Consumer (Micromedex) - Includes Dosage Information Metvixia Cream MedFacts Consumer Leaflet (Wolters Kluwer) Metvixia Consumer Overview Compare methyl aminolevulinate with other medications Actinic Keratosis Where can I get more information? Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about methyl aminolevulinate.

See also: methyl aminolevulinate side effects (in more detail)

methyl aminolevulinate topical

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