A general anesthetic - It is used to produce relaxation and sleep before or during surgery
FDA Alerts
Special Alerts:
[Posted 06/15/2007] FDA informed healthcare professionals about several clusters of patients who experienced chills, fever, and body aches shortly after receiving propofol for sedation or general anesthesia. Multiple vials and several lots of propofol used in patients who experienced these symptoms were tested and there was no evidence that the propofol vials or prefilled syringes used were contaminated with bacteria or endotoxins. Propofol is an intravenous sedative-hypnotic agent for use in the induction and maintenance of anesthesia or sedation. To minimize the potential for bacterial contamination, propofol vials and prefilled syringes should be used within six hours of opening and one vial should be used for one patient only. Patients who develop fever, chills, body aches or other symptoms of acute febrile reactions shortly after receiving propofol should be evaluated for bacterial sepsis. Healthcare professionals who administer propofol for sedation or general anesthesia should carefully follow the recommendations for handling and use in the product's full prescribing information. For more information visit the FDA website at: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2007/safety07.htm#Diprivan and http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/propofol/default.htm.
This medicine is for infusion into a vein. It is given by a health care professional in a hospital or clinic setting.
Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. While this drug may be prescribed for children as young as 2 months old for selected conditions, precautions do apply.
What if I miss a dose?
This does not apply.
What may interact with this medicine?
Do not take this medicine with any of the following medications:
What should I watch for while using this medicine?
Your condition will be monitored carefully while you are receiving this medicine.
You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how this medicine affects you. Do not stand or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol may interfere with the effect of this medicine. Avoid alcoholic drinks.
What side effects may I notice from receiving this medicine?
Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:
allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
breathing problems
changes in vision
dark urine
fast, irregular heartbeat
feeling faint or lightheaded, falls
fever
low blood pressure
muscle pain or weakness
numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
seizures
stomach pain
trouble passing urine or change in the amount of urine
uncontrollable muscle spasm
unusual weakness
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
dizziness
nausea
pain at site where injected
Where should I keep my medicine?
This drug is given in a hospital or clinic and will not be stored at home.
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children,
never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
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