hydroxyurea

noun

hy·droxy·urea hī-ˌdräk-sē-yu̇-ˈrē-ə

: a drug CH₄N₂O₂ used especially to treat myeloproliferative disorders (such as polycythemia vera and myelogenous leukemia) and malignant tumors

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Take hydroxyurea, an oral drug that makes red blood cells more flexible, reducing pain crises and the need for blood transfusions. —

Megan Molteni, STAT, 7 Mar. 2023 This is in sharp contrast to hydroxyurea which is available in capsules and does not require hospital visits that would be additional costs for patients. —

Paul Adepoju, Quartz Africa, 26 Nov. 2019 Current treatments include a 21-year-old cancer drug called hydroxyurea and Endari, approved in 2017. —

Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2019 The most effective sickle cell drug, hydroxyurea, has hardly even been studied in sub-Saharan Africa, let alone made widely available. —

Sharon Begley, STAT, 23 Oct. 2019 Among the treatments currently used is a medication called hydroxyurea, which can stimulate the production of fetal hemoglobin. —

Michael Nedelman And Minali Nigam, CNN, 30 July 2019 The patients in the trial are divided into two groups, one also receiving a pain relief drug called hydroxyurea and one not receiving it. —

Tess Vrbin, courant.com, 19 June 2019 Your doctor can treat sickle cell anemia with a variety of medications, including antibiotics to ward off life-threatening infections, pain-relieving medications, and hydroxyurea, a medication that can prevent episodes of pain, the Mayo Clinic says. —

Korin Miller, SELF, 19 Sep. 2018 Vaughan, who lives in Baltimore, was worried about giving her daughter the drug hydroxyurea to treat the disease. —

Andrea K. Mcdaniels, baltimoresun.com, 11 July 2018 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hydroxyurea.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of hydroxyurea was in 1949

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Hydroxyurea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hydroxyurea. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.

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Medical Definition

hydroxyurea

noun

hy·droxy·urea -yu̇-ˈrē-ə

: an antineoplastic drug CH₄N₂O₂ used especially to treat myeloproliferative disorders (as chronic myelogenous leukemia, polycythemia vera, and thrombocythemia) and malignant tumors