Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml solution for infusion
Levobupivacaine
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
- If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4
1. What Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you are given Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml
3. How to use Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml
6. Contents of the pack and other information
Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml belongs to a group of medicines called local anaesthetics. This type of medicine is used to make an area of the body numb or free from pain.
Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml solution for infusion is for adult use only. Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml is used for pain relief:
- after major surgery
- during childbirth
- If you are allergic (hypersensitive) to levobupivacaine, to any similar local anaesthetics or to any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
- If you have very low blood pressure.
- As a type of pain relief given by injection into the area around the neck of the womb (the cervix) during the early stage of labour (paracervical block).
- To numb an area by injecting Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml into a vein.
Talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse before you are given Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml if you have any of the following diseases or conditions. You may need to be checked more closely or be given a smaller dose.
- If you suffer from diseases of the nervous system
- If you are weak or ill
- If you are elderly
- If you have liver disease.
Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you are taking, or have recently taken or might take any other medicines even those that may be acquired without a medical prescrition. Particulary,tell them if you are taking medicines for:
- Irregular heartbeats (such as mexiletine)
- Fungal infections (such as ketoconazole) since this may affect how long Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml stays in your body
- Asthma (such as theophylline) since this may affect how long Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml stays in your body.
If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or nurse for advice before taking this medicine.
Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml must not be a given for pain relief by injection into the area around the neck of the womb or cervix during childbirth (paracervical block).
The effect of Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml in child during the early stage of pregnancy is not known. Therefore, Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml should not be used during the first three months of your pregnancy, unless your doctor thinks it is necessary.
It is not known if levobupivacaine passes into breast milk,however from the experience with a similar drug, only small amounts of levobupivacaine are expected to pass into breast milk. Breast-feeding is therefore possible after having a local anaesthetic.
The use of Levobupivacaine can have a considerable effect on the ability to drive or use machines. You must not drive or operate machinery until all the effects of Levobupivacaine and the inmmediate effects of surgery have worn off. Make sure you get advice about this matter from the doctor or nurse who is treating you, before leaving hospital
This medicinal product contains 15 mmol (3.5 mg/ml) sodium per 100 ml bag and 30 mmol (3.5 mg/ml) sodium per 200 ml bag which shall be taken into consideration by patients on a controlled sodium diet.
Your doctor will give you Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml by injection through a needle or small tube in your back (epidural). Your doctor and nurse will watch you carefully while you are being given Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml.
Adults:
The amount of Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml you will be given and how often it is given will depend on why it is being used and also on your health, age and weight. The smallest dose that can produce numbness in the required area will be used. The dose will be carefully worked out by your doctor.
When Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml is used for pain relief during childbirth, the dose used should be carefully controlled.
Children:
Not recommended.
If you get more Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml than you should, you may have numbness of the tongue, dizziness, blurred vision, muscle twitching, severe breathing difficulties (including stopping breathing) and even convulsions. If you notice any of these symptoms, tell your doctor immediately. Sometimes too much Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml may also cause low blood pressure, bradycardia or tachicardia and changes in your heart rhythm. Your doctor may need to give you other medicines to help stop these symptoms.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. If you consider you are having some of the side effects listed below, report immediately to you doctor or nurse. Some side effects with Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml can be serious.
Very common side effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 people):
- Feeling tired or weak, short of breath, looking pale (these are all signs of anaemia)
- Low blood pressure
- Nausea
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Vomiting
- Problems (distress) for an unborn child
- Back pain
- Fever
- Pain after surgery
Other side effects (Unknown frequency, cannot be estimated from the available data):
- Serious allergic (hypersensitive) reactions causing severe breathing and swallowing difficulties, hives and very low blood pressure.
- Allergic (hypersensitive) reactions recognized by red itchy skin, sneezing, sweating a lot, rapid heartbeat, fainting or swelling of the face, lips and mouth
- Fainting
- Drowsiness
- Blurred vision
- Stop of breath
- Heart attack or blockage
- Localized tingling
- Numbness of the tongue
- Muscle weakness or twitching
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
- Paralysis
- Seizures
- Tingling, numbness or other abnormal sensation
- Prolonged erection of the penis that may be painful
- Nerve disorder which can include drooping of the eyelid, small pupil (black center of the eye), sunken eye socket, sweating and/or redness in one side of the face
Bradycardia or tachycardia, or irregular heartbeats, and heart rhythm changes that can be seen on an ECG, have also been reported as side effects. Rarely, some side effects may be long-term or permanent.
If you consider that some of the side effects you experience become worse or if you notice any side effect not mentioned in this leaflet, report it to your doctor or nurse.
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the national reporting system Yellow Card Scheme Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store
By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
This medicinal product does not require special preservation conditions.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use Levobupivacaine after the expiry date shown on the label ‘Exp.’ The expiry date refers to the last day of the stipulated month.
Your doctor will store this medicine for you.
The solution should be used immediately after opening.
Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml should not be used if there are visible particles in it.
Medicines should not be disposed of through wastewater or household waste. Ask the pharmacist for instructions to dispose packages and medicinal products you do not need anymore. These measures will help to protect the environment.
The active substance is levobupivacaine (as hydrochloride).
Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml: 1 ml contains 1.25 mg levobupivacaine (as hydrochloride).
The other ingredients are water for injections, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide and a small quantity of hydrochloric acid.
Levobupivacaine 1.25 mg/ml is a clear, colourless solution. Each Polypropylene or PVC-free polyolefin bags contains 100 ml or 200 ml solution. It is supplied in packs of 5 and 24 bags of 100ml solution and 12 bags of 200 ml solution.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed
Marketing Authorisation Holder:
Altan Pharma Ltd
The Lennox Building
50 South Richmond Street
Dublin 2
D02 FK02
Ireland
Manufacturing Responsible:
Altan Pharmaceuticals S.A.
P.I. Bernedo S/N.
01118 Bernedo
Álava
Spain
This leaflet was last revised in 07/2023