Clinical medicine profile
Lidocaine
Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class)
- Route
- See product SmPC
- Schedule
- POM
- ATC
- Not assigned
- PPB status
- registered
This profile needs source confirmation
Some sections contain general class guidance rather than medicine-specific evidence. Confirm prescribing decisions against the current SmPC and Kenya STG/EML.
Safety essentials
The information most likely to change a prescribing or dispensing decision.
Contraindications
- Known hypersensitivity to the amide-type local anesthetics
- patients with Adams-Stokes syndrome or with severe degrees of SA, AV, or intraventricular heart block in the absence of an artificial pacemaker.
Precautions
- 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.
Dosing matrix
Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.
Local Anaesthesia: use the lowest dose needed to provide effective anaesthesia.Adults: the dose not greater than 200 mg. For spinal anaesthesia not greater than 100 mg. Children:the dose not more than 3mg/kg. Use in Cardiac Arrhythmias -Adults: 50 -100 mg IV at a rate of about 25-50 mg per minute. No more than 200 - 300 mg within 1 hr
See label paediatric section if present; otherwise use paediatric formulary — do not extrapolate adult doses.
Review renal impairment dosing; many agents need CrCl/eGFR adjustment.
- CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Review hepatic impairment dosing; monitor LFTs if agent is hepatically cleared or hepatotoxic.
Use, effects & interactions
Indications
- 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.
Adverse effects
- Serious side effects are uncommon.
- Drowsiness
- dizziness
- disorientation
- confusion
- lightheadedness
- psychosis
- apprehension
- tinnitus
- visual disturbances including amblyopia or diplopia
- vomiting
- paraesthesia
- sensations of heat, cold, or numbness
- difficulty swallowing
Drug interactions
Open multi-drug checker ↗- Professional use: confirm indication, dose, duration, monitoring and patient counselling points against current Kenya STG / EML and the product SmPC.
- Document allergy status and key interactions.
Mechanism & disposition
It acts by stabilizing the membranes of the nerve cells by decreasing their permeability to sodium ions.
Read complete mechanism
It acts by stabilizing the membranes of the nerve cells by decreasing their permeability to sodium ions. Mechanism is agent-specific. At receptor, enzyme, ion channel, transporter or microbial target level, the drug alters a physiological or pathological pathway to produce its therapeutic effect. Confirm precise molecular mechanism in current SmPC / pharmacology reference for this INN before high-stakes decisions.
Product-specific
Product-specific
See product SmPC
are product-specific. Consider food effects, protein binding, hepatic CYP/UGT
when adjusting for organ impairment, age and drug interactions. Verify parameters in the current SmPC.
Pregnancy, lactation & diet
Use only if potential benefit justifies potential risk; prefer agents with better reproductive data when alternatives exist.
Assess infant risk vs benefit of maternal therapy; prefer agents with lactation data.
Brands & loaded prices
| Brand | Manufacturer | Pack | Observed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| THEMICAINE 20mg/ml Injection | THEMIS MEDICARE LIMITED | Injection 20mg | Unavailable |
Sources & review state
Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.