Botulinum Toxin Type A (Cont.)

Effects of Botulinum Toxin Type A

Studies have evaluated botulinum toxin type A to treat frown lines between the eyebrows. In studies, up to 82 percent of people who received botulinum toxin type A injections saw significant improvement one week afterwards, compared to just 9 percent who had received placebo injections (which did not contain any active ingredient). This effect lasted for at least 60 days, after which time the effects of botulinum toxin type A appeared to gradually decrease. At 120 days after the injections, 39 percent of people who received botulinum toxin type A still saw improvement.
 
For cervical dystonia (muscle spasms of the head and neck), studies showed that botulinum toxin type A injections help relieve neck pain and abnormal head positioning, compared to placebo injections (which contain no active ingredient). In most people, the beneficial effects of botulinum toxin type A were gone after about three months.
 
Studies of botulinum toxin type A for severe underarm sweating showed that up to 86 percent of people who received botulinum toxin type A injections decreased their sweat production by 50 percent or more, compared to up to 45 percent of people receiving placebo injections (with no active ingredient). The beneficial effects of botulinum toxin type A lasted an average of 200 days.
 
Studies have also shown that botulinum toxin type A can improve eyelid twitching or spasms (blepharospasm) and misaligned eyes (strabismus) caused by abnormal muscle contractions.
 

When and How to Take Botulinum Toxin Type A

General considerations for when and how to take botulinum toxin type A include the following:
 
  • The drug comes in injectable form. It is injected directly into the muscles that are causing the problems. When treating severe sweating, botulinum toxin type A is injected directly into the underarm.
     
  • When treating misaligned eyes (strabismus), special techniques, sometimes using the electrical signals from the muscles, must be used to make sure that the injections are given in the right place.
     
  • Your healthcare provider may choose to use an anesthetic cream to numb your skin before the injection, but this is not necessary. If you are worried about pain, be sure to ask your healthcare provider about using an anesthetic cream.
     
  • The effects of botulinum toxin type A are not permanent. You will need to receive injections periodically in order to maintain the effects.
     
  • For the medication to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed.
     
(Botulinum Toxin Type A Continued: Page 3)

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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;