Pentoxifylline for venous skin ulcers

Pentoxifylline for venous skin ulcers
Examples
How It Works
Why It Is Used
How Well It Works
Side Effects
What To Think About
References
Credits

Content provided by Healthwise

Examples

Brand Name	Chemical Name
Trental	pentoxifylline

Brand Name	Chemical Name
Trental	pentoxifylline extended-release

How It Works

Combined with standard treatment with compression stockings, oral pentoxifylline is used to improve venous skin ulcer healing. Pentoxifylline reduces the viscosity or "stickiness" of your blood, improving blood circulation. Pentoxifylline also reduces inflammation in the body, which may help ulcers heal as well.

Why It Is Used

Large venous skin ulcers are often resistant to healing. Pentoxifylline may speed healing in these ulcers when used with compression stockings.¹

How Well It Works

Pentoxifylline has been proven to accelerate and improve venous skin ulcer healing when taken in a high dose of , 3 times a day. A lower dose of has not proven to be effective.²

Side Effects

Minor gastrointestinal side effects can result form pentoxifylline use, including:

Slight nausea.
Indigestion.
Diarrhea.

On rare occasions, heart pain, dizziness, and headache have been reported as side effects of pentoxifylline.

Pentoxifylline extended-release tablets ( each) are less likely than the immediate-release capsules to cause side effects.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

What To Think About

Pentoxifylline is considered to be a safe medication, with no severe side effects. Future research is expected to focus on using pentoxifylline for venous skin ulcer prevention.

Reasons not to take high doses of pentoxifylline

The high doses that have been used to successfully treat venous skin ulcers are unsafe for people with poor kidney function. If you have poor kidney function, pentoxifylline can build up to toxic levels in your body.

Pentoxifylline is not safe for people with recent bleeding problems, particularly stroke caused by sudden bleeding or bleeding at the retina, part of the eye.

If you have had past problems with pentoxifylline, caffeine, or a similar medication (such as theophylline or theobromine), this medication is not a safe treatment option for you.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF) (What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

References

Citations
Phillips TJ, et al. (2000). Prognostic indicators in venous ulcers. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 43(4): 627–630.
Falanga V, et al. (1999). Systemic treatment of venous leg ulcers with high doses of pentoxifylline: Efficacy in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Wound Repair and Regeneration, 7(4): 208–213.

Credits

Author	Kathe Gallagher, MSW
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Associate Editor	Terrina Vail
Primary Medical Reviewer	Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Randall D. Burr, MD - Dermatology
Last Updated	November 23, 2005

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Last updated:	November 23, 2005
Author:	Kathe Gallagher, MSW
Reviewed By:	Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine, Randall D. Burr, MD - Dermatology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Terrina Vail

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