Complete adverse effect profile including incidence rates and management
Important Safety Information
This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience any unexpected symptoms. For serious or life-threatening side effects, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
ADVERSE REACTIONS Systemic adverse reactions to tetracaine hydrochloride are characteristic of those associated with other local anesthetics and can involve the central nervous system and the cardiovascular system.
Systemic reactions usually result from high plasma levels due to excessive dosage, rapid adsorption, or inadvertent intravascular injection.
A small number of reactions to tetracaine hydrochloride may result from hypersensitivity, idiosyncrasy or diminished tolerance to normal dosage.
Central nervous system effects are characterized by excitation or depression.
The first manifestation may be nervousness, dizziness, blurred vision, or tremors, followed by drowsiness, convulsions, unconsciousness and possibly respiratory and cardiac arrest.
Since excitement may be transient or absent, the first manifestation may be drowsiness, sometimes merging into unconsciousness and respiratory and cardiac arrest.
Other central nervous system effects may be nausea, vomiting, chills, constriction of the pupils, or tinnitus.
Cardiovascular system reactions include depression of the myocardium, blood pressure changes (usually hypotension), and cardiac arrest.
Allergic reaction s, which may be due to hypersensitivity, idiosyncrasy, or diminished tolerance, are characterized by cutaneous lesions (eg.
urticaria), edema, and other manifestations of allergy.
WARNINGS RESUSCITATIVE EQUIPMENT AND DRUGS SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE WHENEVER ANY LOCAL ANESTHETIC DRUG IS USED.
Large doses of local anesthetics should not be used in patients with heartblock.
Reactions resulting in fatality have occurred on rare occasions with the use of local anesthetics, even in the absence of a history of hypersensitivity.
Methemoglobinemia Cases of methemoglobinemia have been reported in association with local anesthetic use.
Although all patients are at risk for methemoglobinemia, patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, congenital or idiopathic methemoglobinemia, cardiac or pulmonary compromise, infants under 6 months of age, and concurrent exposure to oxidizing agents or their metabolites are more susceptible to developing clinical manifestations of the condition.
Like all medications, Tetracaine Hcl can cause side effects. However, not everyone who takes this medication will experience them. Many side effects are dose-dependent and may improve as your body adjusts to the medication. Others may require dose adjustment or medical attention.
Contact your healthcare provider promptly if you experience:
Seek immediate emergency medical care if you experience signs of: