In addition, patients should let their doctor know if they are scheduled to have surgery, any vaccination or have recently received a vaccination. People should inform their doctor if they have a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary (lung) disease (COPD). Taking ORENCIA may cause COPD symptoms to get worse.
Women who are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are thinking about becoming pregnant should tell their doctor. It is not known if ORENCIA can harm an unborn baby. Women who are breast feeding should also inform their doctor. They will need to decide to either breast-feed or receive treatment with ORENCIA, but not both.
People who have diabetes and use a blood glucose monitor to check their sugar levels should tell their doctor. The infusion of ORENCIA contains maltose, a sugar that can give falsely high blood glucose readings with some monitors on the day the infusion is received. The doctor may recommend a different monitor.
Important Information to Know About Side Effects With ORENCIA(R) (abatacept)
Like all medicines that affect your immune system, ORENCIA can cause serious side effects. The possible serious side effects include serious infections and allergic reactions. Also, rare cases of certain kinds of cancers have been reported.
People taking ORENCIA are at increased risk for developing infections
including pneumonia, and other infections caused by viruses, bacteria, or
fungi. Individuals should call their doctor immediately if they feel sick
or get any infection during t
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