What is Prussian blue?
Prussian blue was originally developed as a dye for use in paints and ink. It is used in medicine to help speed up the body's elimination of certain metals or chemical elements. It works by binding to the metals in the digestive tract to keep the body from absorbing them.
Prussian blue is used to treat people who have been contaminated with radioactive cesium or thallium, or non-radioactive thallium.
Prussian blue may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What is the most important information I should know about Prussian blue?
Before you take Prussian blue, tell your doctor if you have a digestive disorder, chronic constipation, a blockage in your stomach or intestines, a heart rhythm disorder; or an electrolyte imbalance.
Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Prussian blue is usually taken 3 times per day for at least 30 days.
Prussian blue may work best if you take it with food.
After you are treated with Prussian blue, your urine and stools will contain the radioactive materials that the medication has helped the body eliminate.
Avoid handling any clean-up of your stools or urine without wearing latex rubber gloves. If another person is handling your stools or urine, they should wear gloves, eye protection, and a mask to cover the nose and mouth.
Prussian blue may cause your stools to appear blue in color. This is a normal side effect of Prussian blue, and should not be cause for alarm.
Although Prussian blue helps the body quickly eliminate a radioactive element, this medication will not treat any symptoms of radiation exposure. You will be given other medications to treat complications of radiation exposure, such as bone marrow suppression or severe infection.
While taking Prussian blue, tell your caregivers at once if you have a serious side effect such as severe constipation or stomach pain.
Prussian blue may bind with other medications and could possibly make them less effective. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors.
What should I discuss with my health care provider before taking Prussian blue?
Before you take Prussian blue, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
a digestive disorder;
chronic constipation;
a blockage in your stomach or intestines;
a heart rhythm disorder; or
an electrolyte imbalance.
If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use Prussian blue.
FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant before you are treated with Prussian blue.
It is not known whether Prussian blue passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not take this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Exposure to radiation could cause a man to have low sperm counts up to several years later. Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about how radiation may affect your fertility.