• Overview
• Inheritance
• Symptoms
  • The Kidney
  • The Brain and Nerves
  • The Heart
  • The Eyes
  • The Skin
  • The Digestive Tract
• Testing
• Treatment
• Resources

The treatment of Fabry disease involves replacing the missing or lacking alpha-galactosidase A enzyme with a similar chemical called Fabrazyme®. This medication received FDA approval in April, 2003 and is available by prescription.

Fabrazyme® is given by intravenous infusion every other week and is expected to be done for a person's entire life. Fabrazyme® can be taken even if a person is also taking other medications. Patients may experience minor discomfort, such as pain or bruising at the infusion site. Other possible side effects include: fever, rash, blood pressure changes, headache, abdominal pain, and nausea/vomiting. Rare instances of more serious side effects have been reported but do not appear to affect the effectiveness of the treatment.

If you have questions about Fabrazyme® treatment, or if you would like to receive a Genzyme publication on Fabrazyme®, please contact Cindy Johnston, MS (800-901-9997).