Ephedrin15mg/5ml

• Hypotension following spinal anesthesia: Used to reverse hypotension induced by spinal or epidural anaesthesia.

Adult Dose:

• Oral (Acute bronchospasm): 15-60 mg tid; Max: 150 mg/day.
• Oral (Diabetic neuropathic oedema): 30-60 mg 3 times/day.
• Parenteral (Spinal/epidural anaesthesia-induced hypotension): 3-6 mg by slow IV inj every 3-4 min; Max total dose: 30 mg.
• Elderly Oral: Initial: 50% of adult dose.

Child Dose:

• Oral (Acute bronchospasm): 1-5 yr: 15 mg tid; 6-12 yr: 30 mg tid; >12 yr: Same as adult dose.
• Parenteral: 0.5 mg/kg or 16.7 mg/m2 4-6 hrly (SC/IM) or 0.75 mg/kg or 25 mg/m2 4 times daily (SC/IV).

Common Side Effects:

• Systemic hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Insomnia (difficulty in sleeping)

Other Side Effects:

• Nausea, vomiting, anorexia
• Tachycardia (sometimes bradycardia), arrhythmias, anginal pain
• Vasoconstriction with hypertension, vasodilation with hypotension
• Dizziness, flushing
• Dyspnoea, headache, anxiety, restlessness
• Confusion, psychoses, insomnia, tremor
• Difficulty in micturition, urine retention
• Sweating, hypersalivation
• Changes in blood-glucose concentration
• Angle-closure glaucoma (very rare)

Precautions:

• Ephedrine Hydrochloride does not usually affect your ability to drive.
• It is usually given as a slow injection into your veins by a doctor or healthcare professional.
• Use with caution in patients with hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, renal impairment, or angle-close glaucoma.
• In patients with prostatic enlargement, Ephedrine may increase difficulty with micturition.
• Increased fetal heart rate reported with parenteral Ephedrine during pregnancy.
• Irritability and disturbed sleep have been reported in breast-fed infants.