Gamunex Patient Information

Gamunex is a brand name for the prescription injectable medication immune globulin. Doctors commonly prescribe Gamunex for the treatment of illnesses that make the body unable to produce enough antibodies to fight off infections.

Function

• Gamunex contains human immune globulin taken from donors. When injected, it supplements the body's own supplies of these necessary proteins.

Types of Illnesses

• Illnesses that are treated with Gamunex include primary humoral immunodeficiency (PI), idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). All of these illnesses are associated with deficiencies of immune globulin.

Time Frame

• For PI, patients receive a Gamunex infusion or injection every three to four weeks as long as the condition persists, reports RxList. For ITP, doctors usually administer Gamunex for five consecutive days. Those with CIDP are usually given Gamunex for two to four consecutive days and then once per week thereafter.

Risks

• Side effects of Gamunex include headaches, coughing, irritation at the site of injection, nausea, pharyngitis and skin rashes. Risks associated with Gamunex include severe allergic reactions, kidney failure, elevated levels of protein in the bloodstream, blood clots, aseptic meningitis infections, red blood cells and lung injuries, according to RxList.

Considerations

• Because its risks upon fetal development are unknown, doctors restrict use of Gamunex in pregnant women to instances where there is no safe alternative treatment. The Mayo Clinic warns Gamux may not be sake to take for patients with a a history of abnormal kidney function, diabetes, paraproteinemia, sepsis, allergic reactions to immune globulin, immunoglobulin A deficiency, allergies to maltose or sucrose, blood clots, heart problems, high blood protein or low blood sodium or kidney disease.