Administration of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride and Epinephrine Injection (containing a vasoconstrictor) in patients receiving monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI), or tricyclic antidepressants may result in severe, prolonged hypertension. Concurrent use of these agents should generally be avoided. In situations when concurrent therapy is necessary, careful monitoring of the patient's hemodynamic status is essential
[see
Drug Interactions (7.2)].
Concurrent administration of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride and Epinephrine Injection and ergot-type oxytocic drugs may cause severe, persistent hypertension or cerebrovascular accidents. Avoid use of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride and Epinephrine Injection concomitantly with ergot-type oxytocic drugs
[see
Drug Interactions (7.3)]
.
Administration of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride and Epinephrine Injection (containing a vasoconstrictor) in patients receiving nonselective beta-adrenergic antagonists may cause severe hypertension and bradycardia. Concurrent use of these agents should generally be avoided. In situations when concurrent therapy is necessary, careful monitoring of the patient's blood pressure and heart rate is essential
[see
Drug Interactions (7.4)]
.
To serve as a warning of unintended intravascular or intrathecal injection, 3 mL of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride and Epinephrine Injection without antimicrobial preservative (0.5% bupivacaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine) may be used as a test dose prior to administration of the full dose in caudal and lumbar epidural blocks
[see
Dosage and Administration (2.4)]
. Three mL of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride and Epinephrine Injection without antimicrobial preservative (0.5% bupivacaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine) contains 15 mg bupivacaine and 15 mcg epinephrine. An intravascular or intrathecal injection is still possible even if results of the test dose are negative.
Signs/symptoms of unintended intravascular or intrathecal injection of the test dose of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride and Epinephrine Injection and monitoring recommendations are described below.
- Unintended
intravascular injection: Likely to produce a transient "epinephrine response" within 45 seconds, consisting of an increase in heart rate and/or systolic blood pressure, circumoral pallor, palpitations, and nervousness in the unsedated patient. The sedated patient may exhibit only a pulse rate increase of 20 or more beats per minute for 15 or more seconds. Therefore, following the test dose, the heart rate should be monitored for increases. Patients on beta-blockers may not manifest changes in heart rate, but blood pressure monitoring can detect a transient rise in systolic blood pressure.
- Unintended
intrathecal injection: Evidenced within a few minutes by signs of spinal block (e.g., decreased sensation of the buttocks, paresis of the legs, or, in the sedated patient, absent knee jerk).
The test dose itself may produce a systemic toxic reaction, high spinal or epinephrine-induced cardiovascular effects
[see
Overdosage (10)]
.
Nervous System Disorders
Adverse reactions were characterized by excitation and/or depression of the central nervous system and included restlessness, anxiety, dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision, tremors, convulsions, drowsiness, unconsciousness, respiratory arrest, nausea, vomiting, chills, pupillary constriction.
In the practice of caudal or lumbar epidural block, unintentional penetration of the subarachnoid space by the catheter or needle has occurred. Subsequent adverse effects may have depended partially on the amount of drug administered intrathecally and the physiological and physical effects of a dural puncture. A high spinal has been characterized by paralysis of the legs, loss of consciousness, respiratory paralysis, and bradycardia.
Neurologic effects following epidural or caudal anesthesia have included spinal block of varying magnitude (including high or total spinal block); hypotension secondary to spinal block; urinary retention; fecal and urinary incontinence; loss of perineal sensation and sexual function; persistent anesthesia, paresthesia, weakness, paralysis of the lower extremities and loss of sphincter control, all of which had slow, incomplete, or no recovery; headache; backache; septic meningitis; meningismus; slowing of labor; increased incidence of forceps delivery; and cranial nerve palsies due to traction on nerves from loss of cerebrospinal fluid.
Neurologic effects following other procedures or routes of administration have included persistent anesthesia, paresthesia, weakness, paralysis, all with slow, incomplete, or no recovery.
Convulsions: Incidence varied with the procedure used and the total dose administered. In a survey of studies of epidural anesthesia, overt toxicity progressing to convulsions occurred in approximately 0.1% of local anesthetic administrations. The incidences of adverse neurologic reactions associated with the use of local anesthetics may be related to the total dose of local anesthetic administered and are also dependent upon the particular drug used, the route of administration, and the physical status of the patient.
Cardiac Disorders
High doses or unintentional intravascular injection have led to high plasma levels and related depression of the myocardium, decreased cardiac output, heartblock, hypotension, bradycardia, ventricular arrhythmias, including ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation, and cardiac arrest
[see
Warnings and Precautions (5.9)].
Immune System Disorders
Allergic-type reactions have occurred as a result of sensitivity to bupivacaine or to other formulation ingredients, such as the antimicrobial preservative methylparaben contained in multiple-dose vials or sulfites in epinephrine-containing solutions. These reactions were characterized by signs such as urticaria, pruritus, erythema, angioneurotic edema (including laryngeal edema), tachycardia, sneezing, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, syncope, excessive sweating, elevated temperature, and severe hypotension. Cross sensitivity among members of the amide-type local anesthetic group has been reported
[see
Warnings and Precautions (5.8)]
.
Clinical Presentation
Acute emergencies from use of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection/Bupivacaine Hydrochloride and Epinephrine Injection are generally related to high plasma levels encountered during therapeutic use or to unintended intrathecal injection
[see
Warnings and Precautions (5.2,
5.9),
Adverse Reactions (6)].
If not treated immediately, convulsions with simultaneous hypoxia, hypercarbia, and acidosis plus myocardial depression from the direct effects of bupivacaine may result in cardiac arrhythmias, bradycardia, asystole, ventricular fibrillation, or cardiac arrest. Respiratory abnormalities, including apnea, may occur. Hypoventilation or apnea due to unintentional intrathecal injection of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection/Bupivacaine Hydrochloride and Epinephrine Injection may produce these same signs and also lead to cardiac arrest if ventilatory support is not instituted. If cardiac arrest should occur, successful outcome may require prolonged resuscitative efforts.
Management
The first step in the management of systemic toxic reactions, as well as hypoventilation or apnea due to unintentional intrathecal injection of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection/Bupivacaine Hydrochloride and Epinephrine Injection, consists of
immediate attention to the establishment and maintenance of a patent airway and effective assisted or controlled ventilation with 100% oxygen with a delivery system capable of permitting immediate positive airway pressure by mask. Endotracheal intubation, using drugs and techniques familiar to the clinician, may be indicated after initial administration of oxygen by mask if difficulty is encountered in the maintenance of a patent airway, or if prolonged ventilatory support (assisted or controlled) is indicated.
If necessary, use drugs to manage the convulsions. A bolus intravenous dose of a benzodiazepine will counteract CNS stimulation related to Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection. Immediately after the institution of ventilatory measures, evaluate the adequacy of the circulation. Supportive treatment of circulatory depression may require Advance Cardiac Life Support measures.
Absorption
The rate of systemic absorption of bupivacaine is dependent upon the total dose and concentration of drug administered, the route of administration, the vascularity of the administration site, and the presence or absence of epinephrine in the anesthetic solution. A dilute concentration of epinephrine (1:200,000) usually reduces the rate of absorption and peak plasma concentration of bupivacaine, permitting the use of moderately larger total doses and sometimes prolonging the duration of action
[see
Dosage and Administration (2)]
.
After injection of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection for caudal, epidural, or peripheral nerve block, peak levels of bupivacaine in the blood are reached in 30 to 45 minutes, followed by a decline to insignificant levels during the next three to six hours.
Distribution
Bupivacaine appears to cross the placenta by passive diffusion. The rate and degree of diffusion is governed by (1) the degree of plasma protein binding, (2) the degree of ionization, and (3) the degree of lipid solubility. Fetal/maternal ratios of bupivacaine appear to be inversely related to the degree of plasma protein binding, because only the free, unbound drug is available for placental transfer. Bupivacaine with a high protein binding capacity (95%) has a low fetal/maternal ratio (0.2 to 0.4). The extent of placental transfer is also determined by the degree of ionization and lipid solubility of the drug. Lipid soluble, nonionized drugs readily enter the fetal blood from the maternal circulation.
Depending upon the route of administration, bupivacaine is distributed to some extent to all body tissues, with high concentrations found in highly perfused organs such as the liver, lungs, heart, and brain.
Pharmacokinetic studies on the plasma profile of bupivacaine after direct intravenous injection (Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection is not approved for intravenous use) suggest a three-compartment open model. The first compartment is represented by the rapid intravascular distribution of the drug. The second compartment represents the equilibration of the drug throughout the highly perfused organs such as the brain, myocardium, lungs, kidneys, and liver. The third compartment represents an equilibration of the drug with poorly perfused tissues, such as muscle and fat.
Elimination
The half-life of bupivacaine in adults is 2.7 hours.
Metabolism
Amide-type local anesthetics such as bupivacaine are metabolized primarily in the liver via conjugation with glucuronic acid. Pipecoloxylidine is the major metabolite of bupivacaine. The elimination of drug from tissue distribution depends largely upon the availability of binding sites in the circulation to carry it to the liver where it is metabolized.
Excretion
The kidney is the main excretory organ for most local anesthetics and their metabolites. Urinary excretion is affected by urinary perfusion and factors affecting urinary pH. Only 6% of bupivacaine is excreted unchanged in the urine.
Specific Populations
Geriatric Patients
Elderly patients exhibited higher peak plasma concentrations than younger patients following administration of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection. The total plasma clearance was decreased in these patients
[see
Use in Specific Populations (8.5)]
.
Patients with Hepatic Impairment
Various pharmacokinetic parameters of the local anesthetics can be significantly altered by the presence of hepatic disease. Patients with hepatic disease, especially those with severe hepatic disease, may be more susceptible to the potential toxicities of the amide-type local anesthetics
[see
Use in Specific Populations (8.6)]
.
Patients with Renal Impairment
Various pharmacokinetic parameters of the local anesthetics can be significantly altered by the presence of renal disease, factors affecting urinary pH, and renal blood flow
[see
Use in Specific Populations (8.5,
8.7)]
.
Carcinogenesis
Long-term studies in animals to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of bupivacaine hydrochloride have not been conducted.
Mutagenesis
The mutagenic potential of bupivacaine hydrochloride has not been determined.
Impairment of Fertility
The effect of bupivacaine on fertility has not been determined.
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection, USP ─ Solutions of bupivacaine hydrochloride that do not contain epinephrine may be autoclaved. Autoclave at 15-pound pressure, 121 °C (250 °F) for 15 minutes. This product is clear and colorless. Do not use the solution if it is discolored or if it contains a precipitate.
| Unit of Sale | Concentration |
|---|
NDC 0409-1159-01 Tray of 25 single-dose teartop vials
| 0.25%
25 mg/10 mL (2.5 mg/mL)
|
NDC 0409-1159-02 Tray of 25 single-dose teartop vials
| 0.25%
75 mg/30 mL (2.5 mg/mL)
|
NDC 0409-1160-01 Tray of 25 multiple-dose fliptop vials
| 0.25%
125 mg/50 mL (2.5 mg/mL)
|
NDC 0409-1163-01 Tray of 25 multiple-dose fliptop vials
| 0.5%
250 mg/50 mL (5 mg/mL)
|
NDC 0409-1162-01 Tray of 25 single-dose teartop vials
| 0.5%
50 mg/10 mL (5 mg/mL)
|
NDC 0409-1162-02 Tray of 25 single-dose teartop vials
| 0.5%
150 mg/30 mL (5 mg/mL)
|
NDC 0409-1165-01 Tray of 25 single-dose teartop vials
| 0.75%
75 mg/10 mL (7.5 mg/mL)
|
NDC 0409-1165-02 Tray of 25 single-dose teartop vials
| 0.75%
225 mg/30 mL (7.5 mg/mL)
|
For single-dose vials: Discard unused portion.
Allergic-Type Reactions
Assess if the patient has had allergic-type reactions to amide-type local anesthetics or to other formulation ingredients, such as the antimicrobial preservative methylparaben contained in multiple-dose vials or sulfites in epinephrine-containing solutions
[see
Contraindications (4),
Warnings and Precautions (5.8),
Adverse Reactions (6)].
Temporary Loss of Sensation and Motor Activity After Caudal or Epidural Anesthesia
When appropriate, patients should be informed in advance that they may experience temporary loss of sensation and motor activity, usually in the lower half of the body, following proper administration of caudal or epidural anesthesia.
Instructions After Dental Injection of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection
Advise patients receiving dental injections of Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection not to chew solid foods or to test the anesthetized area by biting or probing until anesthesia has worn off (up to 7 hours)
[see
Warnings and Precautions (5.16)].
Methemoglobinemia
Inform patients that use of local anesthetics may cause methemoglobinemia, a serious condition that must be treated promptly. Advise patients or caregivers to seek immediate medical attention if they or someone in their care experience the following signs or symptoms: pale, gray, or blue colored skin (cyanosis); headache; rapid heart rate; shortness of breath; lightheadedness; or fatigue
[see
Warnings and Precautions (5.3)].
This product's labeling may have been updated. For the most recent prescribing information, please visit www.pfizer.com.
Distributed by Hospira, Inc., Lake Forest, IL 60045 USA
LAB-1176-5.0