Brevibloc

Brevibloc is a heart medicine that helps control your heart rate and can lower blood pressure, especially during or after surgery.

Form
injektioneste, liuos
Strength
10 mg/ml
Active Ingredient
Esmolol hydrochloride
Manufacturer
Baxter Oy

How to Use

Dosage

Your doctor or nurse will decide your dose and administer it to you. Treatment usually starts with a larger dose over one minute, followed by a smaller dose over four minutes. The dose may be adjusted as needed.

Method

The medicine is given as a slow injection or drip directly into a vein, usually in your arm.

Important

This medicine is usually not given for more than 24 hours.

Possible Side Effects

COMMON
  • Low blood pressure
  • Excessive sweating
  • Loss of appetite
  • Feeling anxious or depressed
  • Dizziness
  • Sleepiness
  • Headache
  • Tingling or 'pins and needles' feeling on skin
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Feeling confused or irritable
  • Feeling sick (nausea) or vomiting
  • Weakness
  • Feeling tired
  • Skin irritation and hardening at the injection site
RARE
  • Abnormal thoughts
  • Sudden loss of consciousness
  • Fainting or severe dizziness
  • Seizures or convulsions
  • Speech problems
  • Vision problems
  • Very slow heart rate
  • Problems with the electrical signals that control your heart rate
  • High blood pressure in the lung arteries
  • Heart failure (heart unable to pump enough blood)
  • Irregular heartbeats or palpitations
  • Chest discomfort due to poor blood flow to the heart (angina)
  • Poor circulation in arms or legs
  • Pale or red skin
  • Fluid in the lungs
  • Shortness of breath or chest tightness making breathing difficult
  • Wheezing
  • Stuffy nose
  • Abnormal crackling or rattling sounds when breathing
  • Changes in taste
  • Digestive problems
  • Constipation
  • Dry mouth
  • Pain in the stomach area
  • Skin discoloration or redness
  • Muscle or joint pain, including in shoulder blades and ribs
  • Problems with urination (difficulty holding urine)
  • Feeling cold or hot (fever)
  • Pain or swelling at the injection site
  • Burning sensation or bruising at the injection site
  • Very severe slow heart rate (heart stops beating)
  • No electrical activity in the heart (heart stops)
  • Inflamed blood vessels with hot, red skin (thrombophlebitis)
  • Skin death due to medicine leaking around injection site
  • High potassium levels in blood
  • Increased acid levels in the body
  • Increased heart contraction rate (fast irregular rhythm)
  • Spasms in heart arteries
  • Psoriasis (scaly patches on skin)
  • Swelling of the face, body parts, tongue, or throat (angioedema)
  • Hives (itchy red rash)
  • Inflammation of a vein or blisters at the infusion site

Important Warnings

  • Do not use Brevibloc if you are allergic to esmolol, other beta-blockers, or any ingredients, or if you have had allergic reactions like shortness of breath or swelling.
  • Do not use if your heart rate is very slow (less than 50 beats per minute).
  • Do not use if you have severe irregular heartbeats or a heart block (a problem with the heart's electrical signals).
  • Do not use if your blood pressure is low.
  • Do not use if you have severe heart failure (your heart doesn't pump blood well enough).
Show 6 more warnings
  • Do not use Brevibloc if you have received verapamil within the last 48 hours.
  • Do not use if you have an untreated adrenal gland tumor (pheochromocytoma).
  • Do not use if you have high blood pressure in your lungs (pulmonary hypertension).
  • Do not use if your asthma symptoms are rapidly getting worse.
  • Do not use if you have too much acid in your body (metabolic acidosis).
  • Do not use this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.