Take acitretin exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask
your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain the instructions to you.
Take each dose with a full glass of water.
Take acitretin with food.
Your doctor may want you to have blood tests (e.g., liver function monitoring, cholesterol and
triglyceride levels, and others) or other medical evaluations before starting and during treatment with
acitretin to monitor progress and side effects.
Your psoriasis may seem to get worse at the start of therapy, but should then begin to
improve. For the best results, finish all of the medication that your doctor has prescribed for you. You
may require more than one course of therapy with acitretin.
It is important to take acitretin regularly to get the most benefit.
After stopping treatment with acitretin, symptoms of psoriasis may return. Do not treat new
symptoms with leftover acitretin. Contact your doctor for new treatment recommendations as your
situation may have changed.
Store acitretin at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Stop taking acitretin and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor
immediately if you experience any of the following serious side effects:
an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat;
swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
signs of heart attack, blood clot, or stroke such as shortness
of breath, nausea, dizziness, chest pain, weakness, trouble speaking, or swelling of a leg;
signs of liver problems such as yellowing of the skin or eyes,
abdominal pain, dark urine, decreased appetite, or nausea or vomiting;
changes in vision, blurred vision, or decreased vision
(especially night vision);
depression, aggressive feelings or behavior, or suicidal
thoughts;
aches or pains in the bones, joints, muscles, or back;
difficulty moving; or loss of feeling in the hands or feet; or
noticeable increase in urination, hunger, or thirst which
may indicate high blood sugar levels (acitretin may cause increased blood sugar even if you do
not have diabetes).
Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to
take acitretin and talk to your doctor if you experience
inflammation, dryness, or cracking of the lips;
scaly skin;
itching;
dryness of the eyes, mouth, or nose;
increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight; or
peeling skin (especially fingertips, palms, and soles); or
loss of hair.
Although less common, the following side effects may also occur. Talk to
your doctor if you experience
elevations in blood levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, or other
substances produced by your liver (detected by blood tests);
intolerance to contact lenses;
cataract formation;
skin rash.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor
about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
Before taking acitretin, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
a diabetes medicine such as chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide
(Glucotrol), glyburide (Micronase, Diabeta, Glynase), tolbutamide (Orinase), tolazamide
(Tolinase), and others;
methotrexate (Rheumatrex);
a "progestin-only” birth control pill such as Micronor,
Nor-Q.D., Ovrette, and others;
etretinate (Tegison) (tell your doctor if you have taken this
in the past);
phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek) or fosphenytoin (Cerebyx);
a tetracycline antibiotic such as tetracycline (Sumycin,
Achromycin V), minocycline (Minocin), doxycycline (Vibramycin, Vibra-Tabs, Doryx); or
the herbal supplement St. John’s wort.
You may not be able to take acitretin, or you may require a dosage
adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicines listed above.
Avoid the use of topical preparations to treat psoriasis unless otherwise directed by your
doctor. They may interfere with treatment with acitretin or increase irritation of the skin.
Acitretin is a form of vitamin A therefore supplements that contain vitamin A should be avoided
during treatment. Additional amounts of vitamin A could result in side effects.
Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with acitretin. Talk to your doctor and
pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, including herbal products.
Avoid all drinks, food, and medicines (including over-the-counter products) that contain
alcohol while taking, and for two months after stopping acitretin. Alcohol changes acitretin into another
drug that may taken longer than 3 years to be eliminated from the body. This may be dangerous if
pregnancy is desired or if blood is donated following treatment with acitretin.
Do not donate blood while taking acitretin and for at least 3 years following the end of
treatment with acitretin. Donated blood given to a pregnant woman may cause birth defects in the
unborn baby.
Acitretin is a form of vitamin A therefore supplements that contain vitamin A should be avoided
during treatment. Additional amounts of vitamin A could result in side effects.
Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight or artificial ultraviolet (UV) light (e.g., sunlamps,
tanning beds). Acitretin may increase the sensitivity of the skin to sunlight and sunburn may result. Use a
sunscreen and wear protective clothing when exposure to the sun is unavoidable. Talk to your
healthcare provider if you are receiving light therapy (phototherapy).
Avoid driving (especially at night) if you develop any vision problems or decreased night vision.
Contact your healthcare provider if this occurs.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose,
skip the missed dose and only take the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a
double dose of acitretin.
Do not take acitretin if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant
within 3 years following treatment with acitretin. Acitretin is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This
means that acitretin is known to cause serious birth defects in an unborn baby. You must have negative
results from two pregnancy tests before starting treatment with acitretin. The first pregnancy test will be
performed when it is decided that acitretin is a treatment option and the second during the first 5 days
of the next menstrual period, just before you start taking acitretin. Two reliable forms of contraception
must be used for one month before, during, and 3 years following treatment with acitretin, unless you
have had a hysterectomy, your doctor determines that you have completely gone through menopause,
or you practice abstinence (you are 100% sure you will not have sex with a male partner). Contact
your doctor immediately if pregnancy is suspected, you miss your period, or you have had sex without
using 2 forms of birth control, before starting, during, or within 3 years following treatment with
acitretin.
Avoid all drinks, food, and medicines (including over-the-counter products) that contain
alcohol while taking, and for two months after stopping acitretin. Alcohol changes acitretin into another
drug that may taken longer than 3 years to be eliminated from the body. This may be dangerous if
pregnancy is desired or if blood is donated following treatment with acitretin.
Do not donate blood while taking acitretin and for at least 3 years following the end of
treatment with acitretin. Donated blood given to a pregnant woman may cause birth defects in the
unborn baby.
Acitretin is a form of vitamin A therefore supplements that contain vitamin A should be avoided
during treatment. Additional amounts of vitamin A could result in side effects.
Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight or artificial ultraviolet (UV) light (e.g., sunlamps,
tanning beds). Acitretin may increase the sensitivity of the skin to sunlight and sunburn may result. Use a
sunscreen and wear protective clothing when exposure to the sun is unavoidable. Talk to your
healthcare provider if you are receiving light therapy (phototherapy).
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you
have kidney disease;
have liver disease;
have diabetes or high blood sugar;
have a high level of cholesterol or triglycerides (types of
fat) in your blood, or have a family history of high levels;
heart disease;
depression;
drink alcohol or have alcoholism;
have previously taken or currently take etretinate
(Tegison); or
are taking any other medicines [especially a tetracycline
antibiotic such as tetracycline (Sumycin, Achromycin V), minocycline (Minocin), doxycycline
(Vibramycin, Vibra-Tabs, Doryx) or methotrexate (Rheumatrex)] or are receiving phototherapy.
You may not be able to take acitretin, or you may require a dosage
adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
Avoid all drinks, food, and medicines (including over-the-counter products) that contain
alcohol while taking, and for two months after stopping acitretin. Alcohol changes acitretin into another
drug that may taken longer than 3 years to be eliminated from the body. This may be dangerous if
pregnancy is desired or if blood is donated following treatment with acitretin.
Do not take acitretin if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant
within 3 years following treatment with acitretin. Acitretin is in the FDA pregnancy category X. This
means that acitretin is known to cause serious birth defects in an unborn baby. You must have negative
results from two pregnancy tests before starting treatment with acitretin. The first pregnancy test will be
performed when it is decided that acitretin is a treatment option and the second during the first 5 days
of the next menstrual period, just before you start taking acitretin. Two reliable forms of contraception
must be used for one month before, during, and 3 years following treatment with acitretin, unless you
have had a hysterectomy, your doctor determines that you have completely gone through menopause,
or you practice abstinence (you are 100% sure you will not have sex with a male partner).
Contact your doctor immediately if pregnancy is suspected, you miss your period, or you
have had sex without using 2 forms of birth control, before starting, during, or within 3 years following
treatment with acitretin.
Do not take acitretin without first talking to your doctor if you are
breast-feeding a baby. Acitretin may pass into breast milk and harm a nursing baby.
Acitretin is available with a prescription under the brand name Soriatane. Other brand or
generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this
medication, especially if it is new to you.
Soriatane 10 mg—brown and white capsules
Soriatane 25 mg—brown and yellow capsules
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your
medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed
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up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. In addition, the drug information contained herein may be time sensitive.
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that uses outside of the United States are appropriate. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy.
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to serve end-users viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare
practitioners. Healthcare practitioners should use their professional judgment in using the information provided. The absence of a warning for a
given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for
any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides.
The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions,
or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
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