Use of Hydroxyurea to Manage Sickle Cell Disease

Hydroxyurea Facts

Hydroxyurea (HU) is an international scientifically proven treatment for people living with SCD. It is a medicine that doctors have used to treat people with SCD since the 1980s. HU is approved for treating both adults and children with SCD in Africa. HU is also used, in larger doses, to treat cancer.

Hydroxyurea is Safe and Has Been Shown to Reduce:

• Vaso-occlusive crisis (severe blood clotting)

• Blood transfusion

• Hospitalizations

• Incidents of acute chest syndrome (severe chest pain)

• Improvements in organ function

• Improvements in overall survival

How Does Hydroxyurea Work?

Hydroxyurea makes your red blood cells bigger. It helps them stay rounder and more flexible — and makes them less likely to turn into a sickle shape. The medicine does this by increasing a special kind of hemoglobin called hemoglobin F. When you have higher levels of hemoglobin F, your red blood cells are less likely to cause problems.