Epinephrine Bitartrate (20 brand names, 3 dosage forms, 3 routes)
Available dosage forms: AEROSOL, METERED, INJECTABLE, SOLUTION.
Routes of administration: INHALATION, INJECTION, INTRAVENOUS.
Brand Names
- ARTICAINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND EPINEPHRINE BITARTRATE
- BRONITIN MIST
- BUPIVACAINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND EPINEPHRINE
- CITANEST FORTE
- CITANEST FORTE DENTAL
- DURANEST
- EPINEPHRINE BITARTRATE IN 0.9% SODIUM CHLORIDE
- FLAVALTA
- LIGNOSPAN FORTE
- LIGNOSPAN STANDARD
- MARCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE W/ EPINEPHRINE
- MARCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE W/ EPINEPHRINE PRESERVATIVE FREE
- MEDIHALER-EPI
- ORABLOC
- PRILOCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE AND EPINEPHRINE BITARTRATE
- SENSORCAINE
- SEPTOCAINE
- ULTACAN
- ULTACAN FORTE
- VIVACAINE
Boxed Warning
There have been reports of cardiac arrest with difficult resuscitation or death during use of MARCAINE for epidural anesthesia in obstetrical patients. In most cases, this has followed use of the 0.75% (7.5 mg/mL) concentration. Resuscitation has been difficult or impossible despite apparently adequate preparation and appropriate management. Cardiac arrest has occurred after convulsions resulting from systemic toxicity, presumably following unintentional intravascular injection. The 0.75% (7.5 mg/mL) concentration of MARCAINE is not recommended for obstetrical anesthesia and should be reserved for surgical procedures where a high degree of muscle relaxation and prolonged effect are necessary [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)].
Indications and Usage
MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE is indicated in adults for the production of local or regional anesthesia or analgesia for surgery, dental and oral surgery procedures, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and for obstetrical procedures. Specific concentrations and presentations of MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE are recommended for each type of block indicated to produce local or regional anesthesia or analgesia [see Dosage and Administration (2.2)].
Contraindications
MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE is contraindicated in: •obstetrical paracervical block anesthesia. Its use in this technique has resulted in fetal bradycardia and death. •intravenous regional anesthesia (Bier Block) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7)]. •patients with a known hypersensitivity to bupivacaine or to any local anesthetic agent of the amide-type or to other components of MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE.
Adverse Reactions
The following clinically significant adverse reactions have been reported and described in the Warnings and Precautions section of the labeling: •Cardiac Arrest in Obstetrical Anesthesia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)] •Dose-Related Toxicity [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] •Methemoglobinemia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] •Chondrolysis with Intra-Articular Infusion [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5)] •Severe, Persistent Hypertension, Cerebrovascular Accidents, and Bradycardia Due to Drug Interactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6)] •Cardiac Arrest with Intravenous Regional Anesthesia Use [see Contraindications (4), Warnings and Precautions (5.7)] •Allergic-Type Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8)] •Systemic Toxicities with Unintended Intravascular or Intrathecal Injection [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9)] •Respiratory Arrest Following Retrobulbar Block [see Warnings and Precautions (5.15)] The following adverse reactions from voluntary reports or clinical studies have been reported with bupivacaine or bupivacaine and epinephrine. Because many of these reactions were reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Adverse reactions to MARCAINE / MARCAINE WITH EPINEPHRINE are characteristic of those associated with other amide-type local anesthetics. A major cause of adverse reactions to this group of drugs is excessive plasma levels, which may be due to overdosage, unintentional intravascular injection, or slow metabolic degradation. The most commonly encountered acute adverse reactions that demand immediate counter-measures were related to the CNS and the cardiovascular system. These adverse reactions were generally dose-related and due to high plasma levels which may have resulted from overdosage, rapid absorption from the injection site, diminished tolerance, or from unintentional intravascular injection o
Mechanism of Action
Bupivacaine blocks the generation and the conduction of nerve impulses, presumably by increasing the threshold for electrical excitation in the nerve, by slowing the propagation of the nerve impulse, and by reducing the rate of rise of the action potential. In general, the progression of anesthesia is related to the diameter, myelination, and conduction velocity of affected nerve fibers. Clinically, the order of loss of nerve function is as follows: (1) pain, (2) temperature, (3) touch, (4) proprioception, and (5) skeletal muscle tone. Epinephrine is a vasoconstrictor added to bupivacaine to slow absorption into the general circulation and thus prolong maintenance of an active tissue concentration.