About your treatment     

Your doctor has ordered pentamidine, an anti-infective agent, to help treat pneumonia caused by the organism Pneumocystis carinii. The drug will be either injected into a large muscle (such as your buttock or hip) or added to an intravenous fluid that will drip through a needle or catheter placed in your vein for 60 to 120 minutes, once a day. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Your health care provider (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) may measure the effectiveness and side effects of your treatment using laboratory tests and physical examinations. It is important to keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. The length of treatment depends on how your infection and symptoms respond to the medication.

Storing your medication     

• Your health care provider will probably give you a 1- or 2-day supply of pentamidine at a time. If you are receiving pentamidine intravenously (in your vein), your health care provider will tell you to store it at room temperature in a clean, dry place.

If you are receiving pentamidine intramuscularly (in your muscle), your health care provider will tell you how to store it properly.

Store your medication only as directed. Make sure you understand what you need to store your medication properly.

Keep your supplies in a clean, dry place when you are not using them, and keep all medications and supplies out of reach of children. Your health care provider will tell you how to throw away used needles, syringes, tubing, and containers to avoid accidental injury.

In case of emergency/overdose     

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Signs of infection     

If you are receiving pentamidine in your vein or under your skin, you need to know the symptoms of a catheter-related infection (an infection where the needle enters your vein or skin). If you experience any of these effects near your intravenous catheter, tell your health care provider as soon as possible:

• tenderness
• warmth
• irritation
• drainage
• redness
• swelling
• pain

Brand names