PATIENT
INFORMATION LEAFLET
What
you should know about Edrophonium Injection BP
This
leaflet contains information about Edrophonium
Injection BP, which is administered by a doctor or
nurse as part of the test you are about to have
done. Although you will not be taking this medicine
yourself, this leaflet contains important
information to help you understand how Edrophonium
is used. If there is anything you do not understand,
please ask a doctor or nurse.
This
leaflet is written for the patient who is to have
the test. If you are the parent of a child who is
going to have the test, then of course the
information should be read as applying to the child.
What
does Edrophonium Injection BP contain?
Each ampoule
contains 10mg of Edrophonium chloride (the active
ingredient) together with some other ingredients which
are as follows:
-
Sodium Citrate BP
-
Sodium Sulphite
-
Citric Acid BP
-
Water for Injections BP
Edrophonium
Injection BP is supplied in packs of 10 ampoules, each
ampoule coded with orange and emerald green colour rings
contains 1ml.
What
does Edrophonium Injection BP do?
Edrophonium
is a diagnostic agent, which means that it is used in
tests rather than as a treatment for a disease. The
active ingredient of Edrophonium Injection BP is a drug
which prevents the action of one of the body's enzymes.
The enzyme (known as cholinesterase) destroys a
substance (acetylcholine) which is involved with many
bodily functions, including the contraction of muscle.
By preventing the destruction of acetylcholine,
Edrophonium helps the muscles to respond to nerve
impulses which tell them to contract.
What is
Edrophonium Injection BP for?
Edrophonium
is mainly used in a diagnostic test for the disease
known as myasthenia gravis. This is a chronic disease in
which the muscles are weak and tire easily because the
nerve impulses are not transmitted properly to them.
Before
taking your medicine
What
should I tell the doctor before the test?
If you
have had this test before and experienced an
unpleasant reaction, please tell the doctor about
this. If you have ever had a reaction to any of the
ingredients, tell your doctor. As Edrophonium should
not be given to patients with intestinal or urinary
obstruction, please tell the doctor if you think you
have had a blockage in your gut or in your
waterworks.
Please
also tell the doctor if you are taking any
medication or if you have or have ever had any of
the following conditions:
Asthma,
any heart problems, low blood pressure, epilepsy,
Parkinson's disease or a stomach ulcer.
Edrophonium may interact with certain anaesthetics
and drugs used to produce muscle relaxation during
surgery. If you are about to have an operation your
anaesthetist will be aware of this and will treat
you accordingly but please do not hesitate to ask
him for further information.
WOMEN:
Please let the doctor know if you are pregnant or
breastfeeding. Although no harmful effects on the
unborn or breast-fed child are known, the doctor may
prefer to put off the test until after the baby has
been born or weaned.
How is
Edrophonium Injection BP used?
Edrophonium
is given by injection into a vein or muscle. Sometimes
part of the dose is given first and the remainder thirty
seconds later. The effect of the injection on muscular
strength depends upon the exact purpose of the test. The
usual doses are as follows:
- As a
test for myasthenia gravis: 2mg into a vein followed
if there has been no response by the remaining 8mg
thirty seconds later. Alternatively, the whole 10mg
may be injected into a muscle.
- To
tell whether your existing treatment is too weak or
too strong: 2mg given one hour after the last dose
of a medicine for myasthenia gravis.
- For
diagnosis of prolonged breathing difficulties after
certain muscle relaxant drugs: 10mg injected into a
vein.
- To
reverse the effects of muscle relaxant drugs: 0.5 -
0.7mg for each kilogram of bodyweight is usually
given slowly into a vein, together with another drug
called atropine.
-
Children's doses: For diagnostic tests the dose is
usually 0.1mg for each kilogram of bodyweight, with
one-fifth of the dose being given first and the
remainder thirty seconds later if there has been no
response. Children are given the same dose as adults
for reversal of the effects of muscle relaxant
drugs.
If you think
you have been given too much medicine, tell your doctor.
The likely signs of an overdose are a slow or irregular
heartbeat, feeling faint, difficulty in breathing,
perspiration, upset stomach and visual disturbances. If
you would like any other information about the use of
Edrophonium, please ask your doctor or nurse.
Side-effects
It is
possible that you (or your child if he or she is having
the test) may have nausea and vomiting, increased
salivation, diarrhoea and abdominal pains.
If you think
that Edrophonium has caused any other side-effect,
please tell your doctor or nurse about it.
This
medicine should not be used after the expiry date that
is shown on the carton. Your doctor should have checked
this.
Edrophonium
Injection should be protected from light and kept out of
the reach of children.
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