Hydroxyurea
Hydroxyurea is a capsule medicine that slows the growth of blood cells, used in chronic myeloid leukaemia and sickle cell anaemia. It is listed as 500mg generic Hydrea capsules.
What hydroxyurea is used for
Hydroxyurea belongs to a group of medicines called antimetabolites. It treats chronic myeloid leukaemia, a cancer of the white blood cells, and locally advanced squamous cell cancers of the head and neck, where it is given with radiotherapy. In sickle cell anaemia — an inherited condition in which red blood cells stiffen into a sickle shape and carry oxygen poorly — hydroxyurea reduces the number of painful crises and the need for blood transfusions. It is used for sickle cell disease in adults and children from the age of two.
How it works
Cells that divide quickly, cancer cells and the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow among them, need a constant supply of DNA building blocks. Hydroxyurea blocks an enzyme called ribonucleotide reductase, which produces those blocks, so cells cannot copy their DNA and their growth slows. The marrow then turns out fewer blood cells. That is both the aim of treatment and the reason blood counts are checked regularly.
Taking hydroxyurea capsules
Hydroxyurea is swallowed, as capsules or tablets. Here it comes as 500mg capsules. The usual pattern is one dose a day with a glass of water, at roughly the same time each day. Some cancer schedules use a dose every third day instead, and the plan is fitted to blood counts, so treatment may be paused or the dose changed from time to time. Folic acid is often taken alongside hydroxyurea to soften some side effects. Store the capsules in the bottle they came in, lid tight, away from heat.
Side effects worth knowing
Blood counts fall to some degree, and that is expected. Nausea, a sore mouth, poor appetite, tiredness, dry skin and hair thinning or loss are among the complaints people report. A steep drop in blood cells is the main risk, because it opens the way to infection and bleeding: fever, chills, sore throat, body aches, unusual bruising or bleeding, black tarry stools and breathlessness all matter. Hydroxyurea also raises the risk of later cancers, skin cancer among them, so cover up and use sunscreen in strong sun.
The listing on this page
The hydroxyurea product here is Hydrea: 500mg capsules, filed in the oncology category. Hydrea is the brand name for hydroxyurea itself, and the 500mg capsule is the strength and form you would order.
Sources
- Hydroxyurea: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus
- HYDROXYUREA capsule - DailyMed - NIH — DailyMed
Is Hydroxyurea available to order in Hong Kong?
Hydroxyurea can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong. The page lists generic Hydrea, 500mg capsules also sold as Hydroxyurea capsules. An order can be cancelled within 24 hours if it has not been dispatched, and support answers 24/7 in English and Cantonese.
How are Hydroxyurea prices shown?
Prices vary between pack sizes. Every product page lists its current prices in HKD or in the currency you choose.
Can I buy generic Hydrea in Hong Kong?
Yes, generic Hydrea is listed as 500mg capsules and contains hydroxyurea. It is also sold as the plain ingredient version, Hydroxyurea capsules, in the same 500mg strength and the same capsule form.
What brand names does hydroxyurea have?
Droxia and Hydrea are brand names of hydroxyurea, which is also sold as Cytodrox. Here, hydroxyurea can be bought online as generic Hydrea. These are generics, not the original brand.
Is hydroxyurea a chemotherapy medicine?
Hydroxyurea is an antimetabolite, one of the chemotherapy medicines. It slows or stops the growth of cancer cells, which is why it is used in chronic myeloid leukaemia and head and neck cancers, and it also helps stop red blood cells forming sickle shapes in sickle cell anaemia.
Can you chew or split hydroxyurea capsules?
No. Swallow the capsule whole with a glass of water rather than splitting, chewing or crushing it. Some hydroxyurea tablets are scored so they can be halved or quartered, but that applies to tablets; the 500mg capsules sold here are meant to be swallowed intact.
Does hydroxyurea cause hair loss?
Hair thinning or hair loss is one of the reported effects, often along with dry skin and a sore mouth. Tiredness, nausea and a poor appetite are common too, and a fall in red blood cells can make the tiredness worse.
Does hydroxyurea interact with other medicines?
Live vaccines should not be given during hydroxyurea treatment. Combining it with certain HIV medicines (antiretrovirals) has been linked to pancreatitis, liver injury and nerve damage. It can also add to the blood-count effects of other medicines that suppress the bone marrow.
Do I need to wear gloves to handle hydroxyurea capsules?
It is a sensible precaution. Wear rubber or latex gloves when touching the capsules, and wash your hands with soap and water before and after opening the bottle. If any medicine gets into the eyes, flush them with water straight away.