What should I do if I become drug-resistant after taking Trientine?

Trientine (Trientine) resistance requires great attention. First of all, it should be clear that trientine is mainly used to treat Wilson's disease. It reduces the accumulation of copper in the liver and other organs by binding to copper ions in the body and promoting its excretion. If a patient develops drug resistance during treatment, manifested by failure to effectively control symptoms or persistent abnormalities in copper metabolism-related indicators, it is recommended to communicate with a professional doctor immediately.

When faced with drug resistance, a comprehensive assessment should first be performed, including a detailed history, observation of clinical symptoms, and laboratory testing. Your doctor may order testing of copper levels in your blood and urine to determine your current copper metabolism status. In addition, imaging tests such as abdominal ultrasound may also be used to assess the extent of damage to the liver and other organs.

Once resistance is confirmed, doctors may consider adjusting the treatment plan. At this point, one option is to increase the dose of trientine, but this needs to be done under the strict guidance of your doctor, as increasing the dose may bring the risk of side effects. Another option is to replace or combine other drugs. For example, zinc salt drugs can be considered, because zinc can inhibit the intestinal absorption of copper, thereby reducing the accumulation of copper in the body. In addition, according to the specific conditions of individual patients, other new drugs may be introduced, or different administration methods may be used to enhance the efficacy.

While adjusting treatment, patients also need to regularly monitor changes in their condition and maintain close contact with their doctors. Dietary management is also an important part. Patients should avoid ingesting high-copper foods, such as nuts, seafood and certain offal, and maintain good living habits to enhance the body's resistance.

Reference materials:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18559222/