Triptorelin

Since androgen deprivation treatment may prolong the QT interval, the concomitant use of triptorelin with medicinal products known to prolong the QT interval or medicinal products able to induce Torsade de pointes such as class IA (e.g. quinidine, disopyramide) or class III (e.g. amiodarone, sotalol, dofetilide, ibutilide) antiarrhythmic medicinal products, methadone, moxifloxacin, antipsychotics, etc. should be carefully evaluated.

The risk of musculoskeletal disorders (including joint or musculoskeletal pain) when triptorelin is used in combination with either an aromatase inhibitor or tamoxifen is approximately 89% with the AI and approximately 76% with tamoxifen.

Hypertension was reported as a targeted adverse event at a very common frequency with triptorelin in combination with either exemestane or tamoxifen.

Hyperglycaemia and diabetes were reported as targeted adverse events at a common frequency with triptorelin in combination with either exemestane or tamoxifen. Premenopausal women with breast cancer receiving triptorelin in combination with either exemestane or tamoxifen should have regular monitoring of risk factors for diabetes with blood glucose monitoring on a regular basis and appropriate anti-diabetic treatment initiated, if appropriate, according to national guidelines.

There is an increased risk of incident depression (which may be severe) in patients undergoing treatment with GnRH agonists, such as triptorelin. Patients should be informed accordingly and treated as appropriate if symptoms occur. Patients with known depression should be monitored closely during therapy.

The use of GnRH agonists may cause a reduction in bone mineral density. In men, preliminary data suggest that the use of a bisphosphonate in combination with a GnRH agonist may reduce bone mineral loss. No specific data is available for patients with established osteoporosis or with risk factors for osteoporosis (e.g. chronic alcohol abuse, smokers, long-term therapy with drugs that reduce bone mineral density, e.g. anticonvulsants or corticosteroids, family history of osteoporosis, malnutrition, e.g. anorexia nervosa).

Particular caution is therefore necessary since reduction in bone mineral density is likely to be more detrimental in these patients. Treatment with triptorelin 3 mg should be considered on an individual basis and only be initiated if the benefits of treatment outweigh the risk following a very careful appraisal. Consideration should be given to additional measures in order to counteract loss of bone mineral density.

As with other GnRH agonists, isolated cases of spinal cord compression or urethral obstruction have been observed. If spinal cord compression or renal impairment develops, standard treatment of these complications should be instituted, and in extreme cases an immediate orchidectomy (surgical castration) should be considered. Careful monitoring is indicated during the first weeks of treatment, particularly in patients suffering from vertebral metastasis, at the risk of spinal cord compression, and in patients with urinary tract obstruction.

Triptorelin should not be used during pregnancy since concurrent use of GnRH agonists is associated with a theoretical risk of abortion or fetal abnormality. Prior to treatment, potentially fertile women should be examined to exclude pregnancy. Non-hormonal methods of contraception should be employed during therapy until menses resume.

Reproductive studies in primates have shown no maternal toxicity or embryotoxicity, and there was no effect on parturition. Inadvertent administration of triptorelin during human pregnancy has not demonstrated a teratogenic or other fetal risk. However, it is recommended that triptorelin should not be used during pregnancy.

It is not known whether triptorelin is excreted in human milk. Because of the potential for adverse reactions from triptorelin in nursing infants, breastfeeding should be discontinued prior to and throughout administration.

Standard mutagenicity testing revealed no mutagenic activity of triptorelin.

No studies on the effects on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed. However, the ability to drive and use machines may be impaired should the patient experience dizziness, somnolence and visual disturbances (being possible undesirable effects of treatment), or resulting from the underlying disease.