Lidocaine
Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class)
What it is used for
Local anaesthesia; parenterally for the acute treatment of ventricular arrhythmias occurring after myocardial infarction or during cardiac procedures such as cardiac surgery or cardiac catheterization; drug of choice for the treatment of ventricular premature contractions [VPCs] associated with myocardial infarction; status epilepticus as a last resort.
Warnings
ECG monitoring is necessary during its IV administration; liver disease, con- gestive heart failure, marked hypoxia, severe respiratory depression, hypovolemia, or shock; administering lidocaine to patients with sinus bradycardia or incomplete heart block for the treatment of ventricular premature contractions without prior acceleration of heart rate; fibrillation.
Possible side effects
Serious side effects are uncommon. Drowsiness; dizziness; disorientation; confusion; lightheadedness; psychosis; apprehension; tinnitus; visual disturbances including amblyopia or diplopia; nausea; vomiting; paraesthesia; sensations of heat, cold, or numbness; difficulty swallowing; dyspnea; and slurred speech; muscle twitching or tremors, seizures, unconsciousness, coma, and respiratory depression; hypersensitivity reaction; hypotension, arrhythmias, heart block; local thrombophlebitis.
Storage
Store as labelled. Keep out of reach of children.
No reviewed patient-education article is available. The fields shown are from the currently verified medicine record and unavailable fields are not inferred.