Erythropoiesis-stimulating agent
Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA) are medications which stimulate the bone marrow to make red blood cells. They are used to treat anemia due to end stage kidney disease, chemotherapy, major surgery, or certain treatments in HIV/AIDS. In these situations they decrease the need for blood transfusions. The different agents are more or less equivalent. They are given by injection.
| Erythropoiesis-stimulating agent | |
|---|---|
| Drug class | |
Structure of erythropoietin | |
| Class identifiers | |
| Synonyms | Erythropoiesis-stimulating drugs, erythropoietin-type blood factors |
| Use | Anemia due to end stage kidney disease, chemotherapy, major surgery, or certain treatments in HIV/AIDS |
| ATC code | B03XA |
| Legal status | |
| In Wikidata | |
Common side effects may include joint pain, rash, vomiting, and headache. Serious side effects may include heart attacks, stroke, increased cancer growth, or pure red cell aplasia. It is unclear if use is safe during pregnancy. They work similar to naturally occurring erythropoietin.
They were first approved for medical use in the United States in 1989. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. Commercially available agents include epoetin alfa and darbepoetin alfa, and biosimilars. Use among athletes is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.