Note: This document contains side effect information about verteporfin. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply to the brand name Visudyne.
Applies to verteporfin: powder for solution.
Serious side effects of Visudyne
Along with its needed effects, verteporfin (the active ingredient contained in Visudyne) may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking verteporfin:
More common
- Blurred vision or other change in vision
Less common
- Decrease in vision, may be severe
- dizziness
- dull nervousness
- eye pain
- fainting
- fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
- itching, redness, or other irritation of eye
- pale skin
- pounding in the ears
- troubled breathing on exertion
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- unusual tiredness or weakness
Other side effects of Visudyne
Some side effects of verteporfin may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
- Bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of skin, feeling of pressure, infection, itching, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, and/or warmth at the injection site
- headache
Less common
- Back pain (during infusion of verteporfin)
- chills
- cloudy urine
- constipation
- cough
- decreased hearing
- decreased sensitivity to touch
- diarrhea
- difficult or painful urination
- difficulty in moving
- double vision
- dry eyes
- feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings
- fever
- general feeling of discomfort or illness
- hoarseness
- increased sensitivity of skin to sunlight
- joint pain
- light headedness
- loss of appetite
- loss of strength or energy
- muscle pain or stiffness
- nausea
- pain, swelling, or redness in joints
- pelvic discomfort
- redness or other discoloration of skin
- runny nose
- severe sunburn
- shivering
- skin rash
- sore throat
- sweating
- tearing
- tender, swollen glands in neck
- throat congestion
- trouble in sleeping
- trouble in swallowing
- trouble sleeping
- varicose veins
- voice changes
- vomiting
For Healthcare Professionals
Applies to verteporfin: intravenous powder for injection.
Ocular
Severe vision decrease, equivalent of more than 4 lines, within 7 days after treatment has been reported in 1% to 5% of patients. Partial recovery of vision was observed in some patients.[Ref]
Very common (10% or more): Cataract (up to 20%)
Common (1% to 10%): Visual impairment (e.g., blurry, hazy, fuzzy vision, flashes of light), visual acuity reduced, visual field defect (grey or dark haloes, scotoma, black spots), blepharitis, cataract in the untreated eye, dry eye, severe vision decrease with or without subretinal/retinal or vitreous hemorrhage, diplopia conjunctivitis/conjunctival injection, ocular itching
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Retinal detachment, retinal hemorrhage, vitreous hemorrhage, retinal edema
Rare (less than 0.1%): Retinal ischemia (retinal or choroidal vessel nonperfusion)
Frequency not reported: Retinal pigment epithelial tear, macular edema[Ref]
Local
Common (1% to 10%): Injection site edema, injection site inflammation, injection site extravasation, injection site pain
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Injection site hemorrhage, injection site discoloration, injection site hypersensitivity
Frequency not reported: Injection site vesicles, injection site necrosis[Ref]
Cardiovascular
Common (1% to 10%): Chest pain, atrial fibrillation, peripheral vascular disorder, varicose veins
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hypertension
Frequency not reported: Irregular heart rate, blood pressure fluctuation, flushing, myocardial infarction[Ref]
Dermatologic
Common (1% to 10%): Photosensitivity reaction, pruritus, skin disorder, eczema
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Rash, urticaria
Frequency not reported: Hyperhidrosis[Ref]
Gastrointestinal
Common (1% to 10%): Nausea, constipation, GI cancer
Frequency not reported: Pelvic pain[Ref]
Hematologic
Common (1% to 10%): Leukopenia, anemia, white blood cell count decreased, white blood cell count increased[Ref]
Hepatic
Common (1% to 10%): Elevated liver function tests[Ref]
Musculoskeletal
Common (1% to 10%): Back pain, arthrosis, arthralgia, myasthenia[Ref]
Nervous system
Common (1% to 10%): Syncope, headache, vertigo
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hypoesthesia, hyperesthesia
Frequency not reported: Presyncope (vasovagal reactions)[Ref]
Respiratory
Common (1% to 10%): Cough, dyspnea, pharyngitis, pneumonia[Ref]
Genitourinary
Common (1% to 10%): Prostatic disorder[Ref]
Other
Common (1% to 10%): Asthenia, decreased hearing
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Pyrexia
Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Malaise[Ref]
Hypersensitivity
Common (1% to 10%): Hypersensitivity[Ref]
Immunologic
Common (1% to 10%): Influenza syndrome[Ref]
Metabolic
Common (1% to 10%): Hypercholesterolemia, albuminuria, creatinine increased[Ref]
Psychiatric
Common (1% to 10%): Sleep disorder[Ref]
