How is it used?

Before taking

While taking

Warnings

Pending revision, the material in this section should be considered in light of more recently available information in the MedWatch notification at the beginning of this monograph.

Adalimumab is used alone or with other medications to relieve the symptoms of certain autoimmune disorders (conditions in which the immune system attacks healthy parts of the body and causes pain, swelling, and damage) including:

• rheumatoid arthritis (a condition in which the body attacks its own joints, causing pain, swelling, and loss of function)
• Crohn's disease (a condition in which the body attacks the lining of the digestive tract, causing pain, diarrhea, weight loss, and fever) that has not improved when treated with other medications,
• ankylosing spondylitis (a condition in which the body attacks the joints of the spine and other areas causing pain and joint damage),
• psoriatic arthritis (a condition that causes joint pain and swelling and scales on the skin).

Adalimumab is in a class of medications called tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. It works by blocking the action of TNF, a substance in the body that causes inflammation.

Adalimumab comes as a solution (liquid) to inject subcutaneously (under the skin). It is usually injected once every other week. If you are using adalimumab to treat Crohn's disease, your doctor may tell you to inject the medication more often at the beginning of your treatment. If you are using adalimumab to treat rheumatoid arthritis, your doctor may tell you to inject the medication once a week. To help you remember to inject adalimumab, mark the days you are scheduled to inject it on your calendar. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Use adalimumab exactly as directed. Do not use more or less of it or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

You will receive your first dose of adalimumab in your doctor's office. After that, you can inject adalimumab yourself or have a friend or relative perform the injections. Before you use adalimumab yourself the first time, read the written instructions that come with it. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you or the person who will be injecting the medication how to inject it.

Adalimumab comes in prefilled syringes and dosing pens. Use each syringe or pen only once and inject all the solution in the syringe or pen. Even if there is still some solution left in the syringe or pen after you inject, do not inject again. Dispose of used syringes and pens in a puncture-resistant container. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about how to dispose of the puncture-resistant container.

Be careful not to drop or crush the prefilled syringes or dosing pens. These devices are made of glass or contain glass and may break if they are dropped.

You can inject adalimumab anywhere on the front of your thighs or stomach except your navel and the area 2 inches (5 centimeters) around it. To reduce the chances of soreness or redness, use a different site for each injection. Give each injection at least 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) away from a spot that you have already used. Keep a list of the places where you have given injections so that you will not inject in these places again. Do not inject into an area where the skin is tender, bruised, red, or hard or where you have scars or stretch marks.

Always look at adalimumab solution before injecting it. Check that the expiration date has not passed, that the syringe or dosing pen contains the correct amount of liquid, and that the liquid is clear and colorless. Do not use a syringe or dosing pen if it is expired, if it does not contain the correct amount of liquid, or if the liquid is cloudy or contains flakes.

Adalimumab may help control your condition but will not cure it. Continue to use adalimumab even if you feel well. Do not stop using adalimumab without talking to your doctor.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

This information being provided is copyrighted by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc., ASHP, Bethesda, Maryland.
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