Droperidol (Systemic)

Brand Names : Inapsine

Before Receiving This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For droperidol, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to droperidol, haloperidol, or similar medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Droperidol has been used in some pregnant patients. There was no increase in premature births or birth defects when droperidol was used. Droperidol has been used in patients undergoing cesarean section. Newborn babies whose mothers received droperidol did not have an increase in breathing problems.

Breast-feeding - Droperidol passes into breast milk. Breast-feeding is not recommended while you are receiving droperidol.

Children - Droperidol has not been studied in children up to 2 years of age. There is no specific information comparing the use of droperidol in children with use in other age groups. However, based on experience with similar drugs, children may be more likely than older patients to experience side effects after receiving droperidol, such as muscle spasms in the tongue, face, neck, and back, and inability to move the eyes.

Older adults - Older patients may be more likely than younger adult patients to experience dizziness and excessive sleepiness from droperidol. Older patients may also have problems with unusual heartbeats from droperidol

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking droperidol, it is especially important that your doctor and pharmacist know if you are taking any of the following:

• Benzodiazepines (e.g., Valium, Xanax) or

• Diuretics (e.g., Hydrochlorothiazide, Lasix) or
• General anesthetics or
• Intravenous opiates (e.g., Demerol, Morphine) - Droperidol used with these medicines may cause serious heart problems

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of droperidol. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Age over 65 or
• Alcoholism or
• Congestive heart failure or
• Enlargement of the heart or
• Hypokalemia (too little potassium in the blood) or
• Hypomagnesemia (too little magnesium in the blood) or
• Irregular heartbeat
• Slow heartbeat - Droperidol may increase the risk of irregular heartbeats

• Epilepsy - The risk of seizures may be increased

• Heart disease or
• Mental depression or
• Parkinsonism - Droperidol may worsen these conditions

• Hypovolemia - The risk of dizziness may be increased

• Liver disease - The risk of side effects may be increased

• Pheochromocytoma - High blood pressure and rapid heart rate may occur