Azathioprine is a drug that is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and prevent kidney transplant rejection. This eMedTV page provides an overview of this prescription medication, including information on how it works and potential side effects.
Nausea, low levels of white blood cells, and infections are common side effects of azathioprine. This eMedTV resource describes other common and rare side effects seen with the drug, as well as which ones to report to your healthcare provider.
As this eMedTV article explains, there are several azathioprine uses. The drug has been approved to prevent kidney transplant rejection and to treat rheumatoid arthritis. It can also be used off-label for treating things such as ulcerative colitis.
Generally, the azathioprine dosage for preventing kidney transplant rejection is 3 to 5 mg per kg daily. This eMedTV page explains the dosing guidelines your healthcare provider will follow and also provides dosing amounts for rheumatoid arthritis.
This eMedTV Web page explains the drug interactions with azathioprine that can occur when the medication is taken with other drugs, such as allopurinol, warfarin, or ACE inhibitors. This page also describes the problems these interactions can cause.
This portion of the eMedTV archives provides a detailed list of important precautions and warnings with azathioprine. For example, it may not be safe for pregnant women and it can increase the risk of certain types of cancer in some people.
