Maintaining strict personal hygiene is very important. Antibacterial soap can be used to combat skin bacteria, and the mouth should be kept clean. Anaemia and thrombocytopaenia are common and patients should be encouraged to recognise and report symptoms such as lethargy, headaches, nose bleed and bruising. Blood transfusions are required to correct these symptoms. This risk increases with repeated dosing.
Care is taken to avoid drug overexposure.
Patients receiving daunorubicin have their heart tested prior to treatment with a test called a gated blood pool scan. Advise your doctor if you have any heart disease. Furthermore, any signs of heart failure, which may include shortness of breath, chest pain palpitations or leg swelling must be promptly reported to a doctor. This is a common side effect of therapy. Hair should eventually grow back several weeks after completion of treatment.