Doptelet (avatrombopag)

Doptelet generic

Doptelet is available only as a brand-name medication. It’s not currently available in generic form.

A generic drug is an exact copy of the active ingredient in a brand-name medication. Generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs.

Doptelet contains the active ingredient avatrombopag.

Doptelet for adults with ITP

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as Doptelet to treat certain conditions.

Doptelet is FDA-approved to increase platelet counts in adults with chronic (long-term) immune thrombocytopenia, also known as ITP. This condition used to be called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Doptelet is used for chronic ITP when other treatments haven’t worked well enough for this condition.

ITP is an autoimmune disease, which means your immune system mistakenly attacks part of your own body. With ITP, your immune system causes your spleen to destroy blood cells called platelets. It also stops your bone marrow from making enough new platelets. Platelets help your blood clot. With ITP, you have very low levels of platelets in your blood, so your blood is slow to clot. This means you can bruise or bleed easily.

Doptelet stimulates your bone marrow to make more platelets. This reduces your risk of bleeding.

Doptelet is used to increase your platelets to a level that helps lower your risk of bleeding. (This level is about 50,000 platelets per microliter [mcL].) It’s not meant to return your platelet levels to levels considered typical.

Optimal platelet levels are usually between 150,000 and 450,000 per mcL. A low platelet count is anything below 150,000 per mcL.

Note: For information about other conditions this drug is used to treat, see the “Other uses for Doptelet” section below.

Effectiveness for adults with ITP

Clinical trials have found Doptelet to be more effective than a placebo (a treatment with no active ingredient) at increasing platelet counts and reducing bleeding risk. For information about these trials, see Doptelet’s prescribing information.

Other uses for Doptelet

Doptelet is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat thrombocytopenia in people with liver disease. (To learn about the drug’s other approved use, see the “Doptelet for adults with ITP” section above.)

Doptelet may also be used off-label for other conditions. With off-label use, doctors prescribe a drug for a condition other than what the FDA has approved it for.

Doptelet for adults with chronic liver disease

Doptelet is FDA-approved to treat thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) in adults with chronic (long-term) liver disease.

A low platelet count is a common complication of chronic liver disease. It can happen for many reasons, depending on the cause of the liver disease. Typically, it happens because a diseased liver can’t make enough of a hormone called thrombopoietin (TPO). This hormone usually stimulates your bone marrow to make platelets.

Platelets help your blood clot. If you have a low platelet count, your blood will be slow to clot. If you have certain medical or dental procedures, you could be at risk of severe or prolonged bleeding.

Doptelet is used to increase your platelet count before you have a procedure that poses a risk of bleeding. It’s used to raise your platelet count to about 50,000 per microliter (mcL).

Effectiveness for adults with chronic liver disease

Clinical trials have found Doptelet effective for increasing platelet levels in people who have chronic liver disease. For information about these trials, see Doptelet’s prescribing information.

Off-label use for Doptelet

In addition to the uses described above, Doptelet may be used off-label to treat other conditions. With off-label use, doctors prescribe a drug for a condition other than what the FDA has approved it for. Below is an example of off-label use for Doptelet.

Doptelet for chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia

Doptelet is not FDA-approved to treat chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia (low platelet level caused by chemotherapy). However, a clinical trial looked at Doptelet for this use.

Chemotherapy is a form of cancer treatment. It uses highly toxic drugs to kill cells that are multiplying rapidly in the body. It can effectively kill cancer cells, but it can also kill healthy cells, especially blood cells. Low platelet counts are a common side effect of chemotherapy treatment.

Doptelet was studied in people who had low platelet counts caused by chemotherapy used to treat ovarian cancer, lung cancer, or bladder cancer. The results of the trial suggest that Doptelet was not more effective in increasing platelet counts when compared with a placebo (treatment with no active ingredient).

More research is needed to determine whether Doptelet is effective for treating thrombocytopenia in people receiving chemotherapy.

Doptelet dosage

The Doptelet dosage your doctor prescribes will depend on:

• the condition you’re taking Doptelet to treat
• your platelet count
• other medications you may be taking

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs.

Drug forms and strengths

Doptelet comes as a tablet that you take by mouth. It’s available in one strength: 20 mg.

Dosage for thrombocytopenia in adults with chronic ITP

The typical starting dosage of Doptelet for adults with chronic (long-term) immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is one 20-mg tablet taken once per day. However, your doctor will adjust your dosage depending on your platelet count. This will be checked with a weekly blood test.

When a dosage is reached that keeps your platelet count stable at a level of at least 50,000 per microliter (mcL), you’ll continue taking that dosage. At this point, your platelet count will be checked once per month.

Dosage for thrombocytopenia in adults with chronic liver disease

The usual dosage for thrombocytopenia in adults with chronic liver disease depends on your platelet count. If your platelet count is below 40,000 per mcL, the recommended dosage is 60 mg (three tablets) taken once per day for 5 days.

If your platelet count is between 40,000 and 50,000 per mcL, the recommended dosage is 40 mg (two tablets) taken once per day for 5 days.

You’ll start taking Doptelet 10 to 13 days before the planned procedure.

What if I miss a dose?

If you forget to take a dose of Doptelet, take it as soon as you remember. However, if you don’t remember until it’s time for your next dose, don’t take two doses together. Just take your missed dose. Then take your regular dose the next day as scheduled.

Keep in mind, if you’re taking Doptelet to increase your platelets before a medical procedure, you should take all five doses.

To help make sure you don’t miss a dose, try setting a reminder on your phone. A medication timer may be useful, too.

Will I need to use this drug long term?

Doptelet is meant to be used as a long-term treatment for ITP. If you and your doctor determine that Doptelet is safe and effective for you, you’ll likely take it long term.

However, Doptelet is not meant to be used as a long-term treatment for thrombocytopenia in adults with chronic liver disease. It’s only used to reduce the risk of bleeding with certain medical or dental procedures. You’ll only take five doses of Doptelet in the 10 to 13 days before the procedure.

Alternatives to Doptelet

Other drugs are available that can treat thrombocytopenia. Depending on the cause of your thrombocytopenia and any other health conditions you may have, some drugs may be a better fit for you than others.

If you’re interested in finding an alternative to Doptelet, talk with your doctor. They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you.

Note: Some of the drugs listed below are used off-label to treat these specific conditions. With off-label use, doctors prescribe a drug for a condition other than what the FDA has approved it for.

Examples of drugs that may be used to treat chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) include:

• romiplostim (Nplate)
• eltrombopag (Promacta)
• fostamatinib (Tavalisse)
• prednisone (Rayos)
• rituximab (Rituxan)
• danazol
• intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg)
• anti-D immunoglobulin
• cyclophosphamide
• azathioprine (Imuran, Azasan)
• mycophenolate (CellCept)

Examples of other drugs that may be used to treat thrombocytopenia due to chronic liver disease include:

• eltrombopag (Promacta)
• lusutrombopag (Mulpleta)

Doptelet vs. Mulpleta

You may wonder how Doptelet compares with other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Doptelet and Mulpleta are alike and different.

Ingredients

Doptelet contains the active ingredient avatrombopag, and Mulpleta contains the active ingredient lusutrombopag. Both medications belong to a class of drugs called thrombopoietin receptor agonists.

Uses

Doptelet and Mulpleta are both FDA-approved to treat thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) in adults with chronic (long-term) liver disease. They are both used to increase platelet counts before medical or dental procedures.

Doptelet is also FDA-approved to treat chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). With this autoimmune disease, your immune system mistakenly causes your spleen to destroy platelets. Doptelet is used to increase your platelet count when other treatments haven’t worked well enough for this condition.

Drug forms and administration

Doptelet and Mulpleta both come as a tablet that you take by mouth.

Side effects and risks

Doptelet and Mulpleta have some similar side effects and others that differ. Below are examples of these side effects.

Mild side effects

These lists contain examples of mild side effects that can occur with Doptelet or with both drugs (when taken individually).

• Can occur with Doptelet:
  • fatigue
  • bruising
  • nosebleeds
  • upper respiratory infection, such as the common cold
  • joint pain
  • bleeding gums
  • fever
  • abdominal pain
  • nausea
• Can occur with both Doptelet and Mulpleta:
  • headache
  • allergic reaction

Serious side effects

Serious side effects that can occur with both Doptelet and Mulpleta (when taken individually) can include:

• blood clots

Effectiveness

Doptelet and Mulpleta haven’t been directly compared in clinical trials. However, studies have found both Doptelet and Mulpleta to be effective for increasing platelet counts in adults with chronic liver disease. Both drugs effectively reduced the risk of bleeding with medical or dental procedures.

Talk with your doctor about which of these drugs might be a better fit for you.

Costs

Doptelet and Mulpleta are both brand-name drugs. There are currently no generic forms of either drug. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics.

The actual price you’ll pay for either drug will depend on your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.

Doptelet vs. Promacta

Doptelet and Promacta are prescribed for similar uses. Here’s a look at how these drugs are alike and different.

Ingredients

Doptelet contains the active ingredient avatrombopag. Promacta contains the active ingredient eltrombopag. Both medications belong to a class of drugs called thrombopoietin receptor agonists.

Uses

Doptelet is FDA-approved for:

• Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) in adults with chronic liver disease. Doptelet is used to increase platelet counts before medical or dental procedures.
• Chronic (long-term) immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) in adults. Doptelet is approved to increase your platelet count when other treatments haven’t worked well enough for this condition.

Promacta is FDA-approved for:

• ITP in adults and in children ages 1 year and older. Promacta is approved to increase platelet counts when certain other treatments haven’t worked well enough for this condition.
• Thrombocytopenia in adults with chronic hepatitis C. Promacta is used to increase your platelet count before and during treatment of hepatitis C with a drug called interferon.
• Severe aplastic anemia in adults and in children ages 2 years and older. With aplastic anemia, your bone marrow doesn’t make enough new blood cells. Promacta can be used with immunosuppressant drugs (which decrease the activity of your immune system) for this condition. Or it can be used if immunosuppressants haven’t worked for you.

Drug forms and administration

Doptelet and Promacta both come as a tablet that you take by mouth. Promacta also comes as a powder that’s mixed with water to create a suspension (liquid) that’s taken by mouth.

Doptelet should be taken with food.

Promacta may be taken on an empty stomach or with food or drink that is low in calcium. It may be taken at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after consuming any of the following:

• foods or drinks that contain a high amount of calcium
• supplements that contain calcium, iron, aluminum, magnesium, selenium, or zinc

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions about this.

Side effects and risks

Doptelet and Promacta have some similar side effects and others that differ. Below are examples of these side effects.

Mild side effects

These lists contain examples of mild side effects that can occur with Doptelet, with Promacta, or with both drugs (when taken individually).

• Can occur with Doptelet:
  • bruising
  • nosebleeds
  • bleeding gums
• Can occur with Promacta:
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • pain in the mouth and throat
  • cough
  • muscle pain
  • back pain
  • urinary tract infection
  • raised liver enzymes
  • rash
  • paresthesia (pins and needles sensations)
• Can occur with both Doptelet and Promacta:
  • fatigue
  • upper respiratory infection, such as the common cold
  • headache
  • nausea
  • fever
  • abdominal pain
  • joint pain
  • allergic reaction

Serious side effects

These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Promacta or with both drugs (when taken individually).

• Can occur with Promacta:
  • new or worsening liver problems*
  • cataracts
• Can occur with both Doptelet and Promacta:
  • blood clots

* Promacta has a boxed warning for this side effect. This is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A boxed warning alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.

Effectiveness

Doptelet and Promacta haven’t been directly compared in clinical trials.

However, a 2019 review of studies with these drugs found Doptelet and Promacta to be similarly effective for treating ITP. The researchers found that Doptelet increased platelet counts faster than Promacta. More research is needed to confirm these findings, as the review was based on small studies.

Talk with your doctor about which of these drugs might be a better fit for you.

Costs

Doptelet and Promacta are both brand-name drugs. There are currently no generic forms of either drug. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics.

The actual price you’ll pay for either drug will depend on your insurance plan, your location, the pharmacy you use, and the condition you’re using the drug to treat.

Doptelet side effects

Doptelet can cause mild or serious side effects. The following lists contain some of the key side effects that may occur while taking Doptelet. These lists do not include all possible side effects.

For more information on the possible side effects of Doptelet, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can give you tips on how to deal with any side effects that may be bothersome.

Note: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tracks side effects of drugs it has approved. If you would like to report to the FDA a side effect you’ve had with Doptelet, you can do so through MedWatch.

Mild side effects

Mild side effects of Doptelet reported more commonly in clinical trials of Doptelet include the following. These side effects can vary depending on the condition you’re using Doptelet to treat.

• headache
• fatigue
• bruising
• nosebleeds
• upper respiratory infection, such as the common cold
• joint pain
• bleeding gums
• fever
• abdominal pain
• nausea
• mild allergic reaction*

* This side effect was not reported in clinical trials of Doptelet, but it can still occur. For more information, see the “Side effect details” section below.

Most of these side effects may go away within a few days to a couple of weeks. But if they become more severe or don’t go away, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

This list doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of Doptelet. For more about the drug’s side effects, see the Doptelet prescribing information.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects from Doptelet aren’t common, but they can occur. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Serious side effects are explained in more detail below in “Side effect details.” These include:

• blood clots
• serious allergic reaction*

* This side effect was not reported in clinical trials of Doptelet, but it can still occur.

Side effect details

You may wonder how often certain side effects occur with this drug. This section takes a closer look at some of the side effects this drug may cause.

Blood clots

Blood clots are a possible side effect of taking Doptelet. The drug stimulates your bone marrow to make more platelets (a type of blood cell that helps your blood clot). However, if Doptelet makes your platelet count rise too much, this may increase your risk of getting a serious blood clot inside one of your blood vessels. These types of blood clots can include:

• deep vein thrombosis (a clot in a leg vein)
• pulmonary embolism (a clot in your lungs)
• portal vein thrombosis (a clot in a vein in your liver)
• heart attack (which is caused by a clot blocking an artery that supplies blood to your heart)
• stroke (which is caused by a clot blocking an artery that supplies blood to your brain)

When you start taking Doptelet, you’ll have a blood test each week so your doctor can check your platelet count. Your doctor will adjust your Doptelet dosage as needed to make sure your platelet count doesn’t get too high. Once your platelet counts and Doptelet dose are stable, your doctor will check your platelet count each month.

Symptoms of blood clots

Symptoms of blood clots may include:

• pain, swelling, redness, or other color changes in your leg
• abdominal pain
• chest pain
• fast heartbeat
• shortness of breath

See your doctor right away if you get symptoms of a blood clot while taking Doptelet. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Bruising

Bruising is a possible side effect of taking Doptelet. This side effect was reported in clinical trials of Doptelet for chronic ITP. However, it wasn’t reported in clinical trials of Doptelet for chronic liver disease.

Bruising easily is also one of the symptoms of a low platelet count. It’s a common symptom of chronic ITP.

If you seem to be bruising more easily than usual while taking Doptelet, see your doctor. They may want to check your platelet count.

Allergic reaction

Allergic reactions to Doptelet were not reported in clinical trials of this drug. However, allergic reactions are possible with any drug.

Symptoms of a mild allergic reaction can include:

• skin rash
• itchiness
• flushing

Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can include:

• swelling under your skin, typically in your eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
• swelling of your tongue, mouth, or throat
• trouble breathing

Call your doctor right away if you have a severe allergic reaction to Doptelet. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency.

Doptelet and alcohol

There is no known interaction between Doptelet and alcohol. However, regularly drinking large amounts of alcohol can cause low platelet counts. And if you have chronic liver disease, drinking alcohol can make the condition worse.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe for you to drink while taking Doptelet.

Doptelet interactions

Doptelet can interact with some other medications. Different interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works. Other interactions can increase side effects or make them more severe.

Doptelet and other medications

Below are some of the medications that can interact with Doptelet. This section doesn’t discuss all drugs that may interact with Doptelet.

Before taking Doptelet, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Doptelet and fluconazole

If you take Doptelet with the antifungal drug fluconazole (Diflucan), fluconazole may increase the amount of Doptelet in your body. This could raise your risk of side effects from Doptelet.

If you take Doptelet with fluconazole, your doctor may prescribe a lower dose of Doptelet.

Doptelet and rifampin

If you take Doptelet with the antibiotic drug rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane), rifampin may reduce the amount of Doptelet in your body. This could make Doptelet less effective at raising your platelet count.

If you take Doptelet with rifampin, your doctor may prescribe a higher dose of Doptelet.

Doptelet and herbs and supplements

There aren’t any herbs or supplements that have been specifically reported to interact with Doptelet. However, you should still check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any of these products while taking Doptelet.

Doptelet and foods

There aren’t any foods that have been specifically reported to interact with Doptelet. If you have any questions about eating certain foods with Doptelet, talk with your doctor.

Doptelet cost

As with all medications, the cost of Doptelet can vary. The actual price you’ll pay will depend on your insurance plan, your location, and the pharmacy you use.

If you have insurance, the insurance company may require you to get prior authorization before approving coverage for Doptelet. This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug. The insurance company will review the request and let you and your doctor know whether your plan will cover Doptelet.

If you’re not sure whether you’ll need to get prior authorization for Doptelet, contact your insurance plan.

Financial and insurance assistance

If you need financial support to pay for Doptelet, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available.

The manufacturer of Doptelet offers a program called Doptelet Connect that may help you find ways to save on the cost of Doptelet. For more information and to find out if you’re eligible for support, call 833-368-2663 or visit the program website.

How to take Doptelet

You should take Doptelet according to your doctor or healthcare professional’s instructions.

When to take

If you’re taking Doptelet for chronic (long-term) immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), you’ll typically take it once per day. However, depending on your platelet count, your doctor may recommend that you take it just once, twice, or three times per week. You can take your Doptelet dose at any time of day, but try to take it at the same time every day.

If you’re taking Doptelet for a low platelet count due to chronic liver disease, you’ll take it once per day for 5 days. You can take Doptelet at any time of day but try to take it at the same time each day. You should start taking Doptelet 10 to 13 days before your planned procedure.

To help make sure you don’t miss a dose, try setting a reminder on your phone. A medication timer may be useful, too.

Taking Doptelet with food

You should take Doptelet with food.

Can Doptelet be crushed, split, or chewed?

No. Doptelet tablets should be swallowed whole. They should not be crushed, split, or chewed. If you have difficulty swallowing these tablets, see this article for a few tips to try. Your doctor or pharmacist can also suggest ways to make taking this medication easier.

How Doptelet works

Doptelet is used to increase platelet counts in people with thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) caused by:

• chronic (long-term) immune thrombocytopenia (ITP)
• chronic liver disease

Optimal platelet levels are typically between 150,000 and 450,000 per microliter (mcL). A low platelet count is anything below 150,000 per mcL.

If you have ITP, your platelet count will typically be below 100,000 per mcL. However, you may not need treatment until your platelet count is much lower than this.

What happens in ITP and chronic liver disease

ITP and chronic liver disease can lead to thrombocytopenia in different ways.

ITP and thrombocytopenia

ITP is an autoimmune disease. With this condition, your immune system mistakenly attacks cells in your body. Your white blood cells start to make antibodies (a type of protein) against your platelets. The antibodies mark the platelets for destruction by your spleen.

With ITP, your immune system also reduces the number of platelets that your bone marrow makes. The destruction of platelets and reduced platelet production leads to low numbers of platelets in your blood.

Common symptoms of ITP include having many purple bruises (purpura) on light skin, or brown or black bruises on dark skin. Bruises may also occur inside your mouth. These bruises may also look like a rash made up of pinpoint-sized red, purple, brown, or black dots.

Other common symptoms include nosebleeds, bleeding gums, and, in females, heavy periods. More serious internal bleeding is also possible.

Note: Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of the term “female” in this article refers to the sex assigned at birth.

Chronic liver disease and thrombocytopenia

When chronic liver disease leads to thrombocytopenia, it’s typically because damage to the liver leaves it unable to make enough of a hormone called thrombopoietin (TPO). TPO usually stimulates platelet production. If your body doesn’t make enough TPO, your platelet count will fall.

Chronic liver disease can also lead to high blood pressure in your hepatic portal vein, which carries blood from your spleen to your liver. When you have high pressure in this vein, your spleen can enlarge and stop working as usual. This can cause platelets to get trapped in your spleen, which makes the number of platelets in your blood fall.

Why platelets are important

Platelets help your blood to clot. If a blood vessel is damaged, platelets clump together to plug small holes in the blood vessel, which helps stop the bleeding. The platelets start a chain reaction that causes a clot to form around them. If you have low levels of platelets in your blood, your blood is slow to clot. This could cause you to bruise and bleed easily.

What Doptelet does

Doptelet is a type of drug called a thrombopoietin receptor agonist. It works by telling your bone marrow to make more platelets.

Bone marrow is a spongy substance inside your bones where all your blood cells are made. Different hormones tell your bone marrow to make different types of blood cells.

TPO is a hormone that tells special cells in your bone marrow to make platelets and release them into your bloodstream. TPO does this by attaching to special areas called TPO receptors (docking stations) that are found on these cells that make platelets.

Doptelet attaches to the TPO receptors and activates them, just like the TPO your body produces. This causes your cells to make and release more platelets.

Doptelet is used to raise your platelets to a level that helps lower your risk of bleeding, which is about 50,000 platelets per microliter (mcL). If Doptelet increases your platelet count too much, it can raise your risk of getting blood clots. Therefore, it’s not meant to return your platelet count to usual levels.

How long does it take to work?

How long Doptelet takes to work can vary from person to person. You’re unlikely to notice Doptelet working, but your blood tests will show that your platelet count has gone up.

Doptelet and pregnancy

It’s not known whether Doptelet is safe to take during pregnancy. Studies of Doptelet in animals found that the drug can cause fetal harm when used during pregnancy. However, animal studies don’t always predict what will happen in humans.

It’s known that if your platelet count is very low toward the end of your pregnancy, it raises your risk of severe bleeding during or after childbirth.

If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor about the possible risks and benefits of taking Doptelet.

Doptelet and birth control

It’s unknown whether it’s safe to take Doptelet during pregnancy. If you’re sexually active and you or your partner can become pregnant, talk with your doctor about your birth control needs while you’re taking Doptelet.

Doptelet and breastfeeding

You should not breastfeed while taking Doptelet. It’s unknown whether Doptelet passes into human breast milk. However, in animal studies, the drug did pass into the animals’ milk. Doptelet could cause serious side effects in a child who’s breastfed, so you should not breastfeed while taking it. You also should not breastfeed for 2 weeks after taking your last dose of Doptelet.

If you’re breastfeeding, talk with your doctor about the best way to feed your child while taking Doptelet.

Common questions about Doptelet

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Doptelet.

Will Doptelet cure my thrombocytopenia?

No. Although Doptelet helps increase your platelet count, it won’t cure your thrombocytopenia.

With chronic liver disease, taking Doptelet before certain medical or dental procedures can lower your risk of bleeding during the procedure. However, your platelet count will fall again after you’ve had the procedure and are no longer taking Doptelet.

With chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), taking Doptelet long term can help keep your platelets at a stable level. This lowers your risk of bleeding and helps keep your condition under control.

How will my doctor check whether Doptelet is working for me?

Your doctor will check your platelet count to see whether Doptelet is working for you.

With ITP, you’ll have a blood test every week when you start taking Doptelet. Your doctor will adjust your Doptelet dosage based on your platelet count. If your platelet count doesn’t reach at least 50,000 per microliter (mcL) with the maximum dose of Doptelet, your doctor will conclude that it’s not working for you. If this happens, your doctor will ask you to stop taking Doptelet.

If your platelet count reaches at least 50,000 per mcL and remains stable at that level, it’s clear that Doptelet is working for you. From this point, you’ll have blood tests once per month to check that Doptelet is still working for you.

With chronic liver disease, you’ll have a blood test to check your platelet count before you start Doptelet. This will allow your doctor to prescribe the right dosage of Doptelet for your 5-day course of treatment.

Your platelet count will be checked again on the day of your procedure to make sure Doptelet has worked for you. If your platelets haven’t increased enough, you may need to have other treatments so that you can have the procedure safely. An example is a platelet transfusion.

Do I need to change my diet while I’m taking Doptelet?

No. You don’t need to change your usual diet while taking Doptelet unless your doctor recommends it.

Certain other drugs that affect how your blood clots, such as warfarin (Jantoven), may require changes in your diet. However, this isn’t the case with Doptelet.

If you have questions about how you should eat while taking Doptelet, talk with your doctor.

Can I take Doptelet if I’ve received a platelet transfusion?

Yes. The platelets you receive in a transfusion only last in your blood for a short amount of time before they’re broken down by your liver and spleen. Doptelet helps your body make new platelets.

While you’re taking Doptelet, you might need to have a platelet transfusion if you have severe bleeding that needs to be quickly controlled. If this happens, you can keep taking Doptelet.

Doptelet precautions

Before taking Doptelet, talk with your doctor about your health history. Doptelet may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health. These include:

Risk of blood clots: If Doptelet causes your platelet count to get too high, it can raise your risk of getting a blood clot. If you’ve had a serious blood clot or history of blood clots, talk with your doctor about whether Doptelet is right for you. Also, talk with your doctor if you have risk factors for getting a blood clot. These include certain blood disorders, such as factor V Leiden, antithrombin deficiency, and protein C or S deficiency.

If you take Doptelet, your doctor will monitor your platelet count and adjust your dose of Doptelet as needed. This will help make sure your platelet count doesn’t get too high.

Pregnancy: It’s not known whether Doptelet is safe to take during pregnancy. For more information, see the “Doptelet and pregnancy” section above.

Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether Doptelet passes into breast milk. You should not breastfeed while taking it or for 2 weeks after your last dose. For more information, see the “Doptelet and breastfeeding” section above.

Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Doptelet or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Doptelet. Ask your doctor what other medications may be a better option for you.

Note: For more information about the potential negative effects of Doptelet, see the “Doptelet side effects” section above.

Doptelet overdose

Do not use more Doptelet than your doctor recommends. Taking too much Doptelet can cause your platelet count to get too high. This could lead to dangerous blood clots inside your blood vessels.

What to do in case of overdose

If you think you’ve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor. You can also call America’s Poison Centers at 800-222-1222 or use its online tool. However, if your symptoms are severe, call 911 or your local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room right away.