Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Hyperrab
What is HyperRAB® used for?
In combination with a vaccine HyperRAB® is used to help prevent rabies in people who may have been exposed to rabies through contact with an infected animal.
How does HyperRAB® work?
Vaccines work by stimulating your immune system to produce antibodies against a particular disease. Because vaccines require this immune response, they take time to work and are not immediately effective. HyperRAB® is made from the blood of people who have already been vaccinated against rabies and therefore already contains rabies antibodies. It starts working immediately after being injected and helps to protect you from getting rabies until your body starts producing its own antibodies in response to the vaccine.
What are the ingredients in HyperRAB®?
Medicinal ingredients: Human Rabies Immunoglobulin
Non-medicinal ingredients: Glycine
HyperRAB® comes in the following dosage forms:
Single use vials with an average potency value of 300 international units per mL (IU/mL)
- 1 mL vial (containing 300 IU)
- 3 mL vial (containing 900 IU)
- 5 mL vial (containing 1500 IU)
Serious Warnings and Precautions
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To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take HyperRAB®. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:
- have previously had a reaction to any immunoglobulin product like HyperRAB® and/or if you have an immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency
- have been diagnosed with thrombocytopenia or any other bleeding disorder
- have received rabies vaccine in the past
are pregnant or breastfeeding
Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.
The following may interact with HyperRAB®:
- Certain types of vaccines such as measles, mumps, polio or rubella. HyperRAB® could interfere with the effectiveness of certain vaccines, and you should avoid being vaccinated with these until 3 months after your treatment with HyperRAB®.
- If your doctor needs to dilute HyperRAB® to treat a larger bite, they should only use a 5% dextrose solution. HyperRAB® should not be diluted with saline.
How to take HyperRAB®:
- Your healthcare professional will administer HyperRAB®. If possible, the full dose should be injected all around the bite wound. If your healthcare professional needs to dilute HyperRAB® to treat a larger bite, they should only use a 5% dextrose solution. HyperRAB® should not be diluted with saline.
- If not possible to administer the full dose around the wound, any left-over HyperRAB® should be given as an intramuscular injection into the upper part of the arm, or the side of the thigh. The gluteal region (buttocks) should not routinely be used to administer HyperRAB®, and it should not be given in the same location as your injection of rabies vaccine.
Usual dose:
The recommended dose for HyperRAB® is 20 IU/kg (or 0.0665 mL/kg) based on body weight. It should preferably be given at the same time as the first dose of rabies vaccine, but can also be given up to a week after the first dose of rabies vaccine.
Overdose:
There is no data regarding what to expect in case of a HyperRAB® overdose, although experience with similar products suggests that the only issues might include pain and tenderness at the injection site.
If you think you, or a person you are caring for, have received too much HyperRAB®, contact a healthcare professional, hospital emergency department, or regional poison control centre immediately, even if there are no symptoms.
What are possible side effects from using HyperRAB®?
These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking HyperRAB®. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.
The most common side effects reported in two small clinical studies of HyperRAB® were pain at the injection site and headache. Other reported side effects (each reported only once in the studies) were stomach pain, diarrhea, flatulence/gas, a bump at the injection site, nasal congestion, and pain in the mouth/throat.
Other side effects that have been reported following use of HyperRAB®, include a reduced sense of touch, nausea, joint and muscle pain, hypersensitivity reactions, and allergic reactions.
Serious side effects and what to do about them
| Symptom / effect | Talk to your healthcare professional | Stop taking drug and get immediate medical help | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||
| RARE | |||
Anaphylaxis (serious allergic reaction with symptoms that can include dizziness, numbness or tingling, rash, flushing or reddening of the skin, difficult or rapid breathing, pain in the mouth or throat, and excessive sweating) | - | YES | YES |
If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, tell your healthcare professional.
Reporting Side Effects
You can report any suspected side effects associated with the use of health products to Health Canada by:
NOTE: Contact your health professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice. |
Storage:
HyperRAB® should be stored at (2–8°C), and should never be frozen. HyperRAB® may also be stored at room temperature (not more than 25°C), for a period of up to 6 months anytime before the product expiry date. After being stored at room temperature, it must either be used or discarded, and should not be returned to the refrigerator. Do not use past the expiry date printed on the product label.
Keep out of reach and sight of children.
If you want more information about HyperRAB®:
- Talk to your healthcare professional
- Find the full product monograph that is prepared for healthcare professionals and includes this Patient Medication Information by visiting the Health Canada website: (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/drug-product-database.html; or by calling 1-866-482-5226.