Prostivas
Prostivas helps babies with certain heart defects by temporarily keeping a blood vessel open until they can have surgery.
Form
infuusiokonsentraatti, liuosta varten
Strength
0.5 mg/ml
Active Ingredient
Alprostadil
Manufacturer
Pfizer Oy
How to Use
Dosage
The usual starting dose is 0.05-0.1 micrograms per kilogram per minute, which is then lowered to the smallest effective dose, often 0.01 micrograms per kilogram per minute.
Method
It is given as a continuous infusion into a large vein or through a catheter in the umbilical artery.
Important
The dose can be increased up to 0.4 micrograms per kilogram per minute if needed, but higher doses usually do not improve the effect.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Breathing pauses (apnea)
- •Temporary fever
- •Seizures
- •Slow or fast heartbeat
- •Low blood pressure
- •Low potassium levels in the blood
- •Diarrhea
- •Redness of the skin (at the injection site)
RARE
- •Slow stomach emptying
- •Changes in the stomach lining
- •Bone growths on the surface of bones
- •Weakening of blood vessels
Important Warnings
- Do not use if the child is allergic to alprostadil or any other ingredients in Prostivas.
- Do not use if the child has hyaline membrane disease (a severe breathing problem in newborns).
- Your child might experience pauses in breathing (apnea), especially if they weigh less than 2 kg at birth, usually within the first hour of treatment. Medical staff will monitor this closely.
- This medicine contains alcohol, which might make your child sleepy or change their behavior.