Flumazenil

Flumazenil

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Questions & Answers

Side Effects & Adverse Reactions

THE USE OF FLUMAZENIL HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE OCCURRENCE OF SEIZURES.

THESE ARE MOST FREQUENT IN PATIENTS WHO HAVE BEEN ON BENZODIAZEPINES FOR LONG-TERM SEDATION OR IN OVERDOSE CASES WHERE PATIENTS ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF SERIOUS CYCLIC ANTI- DEPRESSANT OVERDOSE.

PRACTITIONERS SHOULD INDIVIDUALIZE THE DOSAGE OF FLUMAZENIL AND BE PREPARED TO MANAGE SEIZURES.

Risk of Seizures

The reversal of benzodiazepine effects may be associated with the onset of seizures in certain high-risk populations. Possible risk factors for seizures include: concurrent major sedative-hypnotic drug withdrawal, recent therapy with repeated doses of parenteral benzodiazepines, myoclonic jerking or seizure activity prior to flumazenil administration in overdose cases, or concurrent cyclic antidepressant poisoning.

Flumazenil is not recommended in cases of serious cyclic antidepressant poisoning, as manifested by motor abnormalities (twitching, rigidity, focal seizure), dysrhythmia (wide QRS, ventricular dysrhythmia, heart block), anticholinergic signs (mydriasis, dry mucosa, hypoperistalsis), and cardiovascular collapse at presentation. In such cases flumazenil should be withheld and the patient should be allowed to remain sedated (with ventilatory and circulatory support as needed) until the signs of antidepressant toxicity have subsided. Treatment with flumazenil has no known benefit to the seriously ill mixed-overdose patient other than reversing sedation and should not be used in cases where seizures (from any cause) are likely.

Most convulsions associated with flumazenil administration require treatment and have been successfully managed with benzodiazepines, phenytoin or barbiturates. Because of the presence of flumazenil, higher than usual doses of benzodiazepines may be required.

Hypoventilation

Patients who have received flumazenil for the reversal of benzodiazepine effects (after conscious sedation or general anesthesia) should be monitored for resedation, respiratory depression, or other residual benzodiazepine effects for an appropriate period (up to 120 minutes) based on the dose and duration of effect of the benzodiazepine employed.

This is because flumazenil has not been established in patients as an effective treatment for hypoventilation due to benzodiazepine administration. In healthy male volunteers, flumazenil is capable of reversing benzodiazepine-induced depression of the ventilatory responses to hypercapnia and hypoxia after a benzodiazepine alone. However, such depression may recur because the ventilatory effects of typical doses of flumazenil (1 mg or less) may wear off before the effects of many benzodiazepines. The effects of flumazenil on ventilatory response following sedation with a benzodiazepine in combination with an opioid are inconsistent and have not been adequately studied. The availability of flumazenil does not diminish the need for prompt detection of hypoventilation and the ability to effectively intervene by establishing an airway and assisting ventilation.

Overdose cases should always be monitored for resedation until the patients are stable and resedation is unlikely.

Legal Issues

There is currently no legal information available for this drug.

FDA Safety Alerts

There are currently no FDA safety alerts available for this drug.

Manufacturer Warnings

There is currently no manufacturer warning information available for this drug.

FDA Labeling Changes

There are currently no FDA labeling changes available for this drug.

Uses

Adult Patients

Flumazenil injection, USP is indicated for the complete or partial reversal of the sedative effects of benzodiazepines in cases where general anesthesia has been induced and/or maintained with benzodiazepines, where sedation has been produced with benzodiazepines for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and for the management of benzodiazepine overdose.

Pediatric Patients (aged 1 to 17)

Flumazenil injection is indicated for the reversal of conscious sedation induced with benzodiazepines (see PRECAUTIONS: Pediatric Use).

History

There is currently no drug history available for this drug.

Other Information

Flumazenil injection, USP is a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist. Chemically, flumazenil is ethyl 8-fluoro-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-4H-imidazo[1,5-a](1,4) benzodiazepine-3-carboxylate. Flumazenil has an imidazobenzodiazepine structure, a calculated molecular weight of 303.3, and the following structural formula:

Image from Drug Label Content

Flumazenil

Flumazenil is a white to off-white crystalline compound with an octanol:buffer partition coefficient of 14 to 1 at pH 7.4. It is insoluble in water but slightly soluble in acidic aqueous solutions. Flumazenil is available as a sterile parenteral dosage form for intravenous administration. Each mL contains: Active: Flumazenil 0.1 mg. Preservatives: Methylparaben 1.8 mg, Propylparaben 0.2 mg, Inactives: Acetic Acid 0.01%, Edetate Disodium 0.01%, the pH is adjusted to approximately 4.0 with Hydrochloric Acid and/or, if necessary, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Chloride 0.9%, and Water for Injection q.s. to 1 mL.

Flumazenil Manufacturers


  • Akorn-strides, Llc
    Flumazenil (Flumazenil) Injection [Akorn-strides, Llc]
  • West-ward Pharmaceuticals
    Flumazenil Injection, Solution [West-ward Pharmaceuticals]
  • Baxter Healthcare Corporation
    Flumazenil Injection, Solution [Baxter Healthcare Corporation]
  • General Injectables & Vaccines, Inc
    Flumazenil Injection, Solution [General Injectables & Vaccines, Inc]
  • West-ward Pharmaceutical Corp
    Flumazenil Injection, Solution [West-ward Pharmaceutical Corp]
  • Physicians Total Care, Inc.
    Flumazenil Injection [Physicians Total Care, Inc.]
  • General Injectables & Vaccines, Inc.
    Flumazenil Injection [General Injectables & Vaccines, Inc.]
  • General Injectables & Vaccines, Inc.
    Flumazenil Injection [General Injectables & Vaccines, Inc.]
  • General Injectables & Vaccines, Inc
    Flumazenil Injection, Solution [General Injectables & Vaccines, Inc]
  • Sandoz Inc
    Flumazenil Injection [Sandoz Inc]
  • West-ward Pharmaceutical Corp.
    Flumazenil Injection [West-ward Pharmaceutical Corp.]
  • App Pharmaceuticals, Llc
    Flumazenil Injection, Solution [App Pharmaceuticals, Llc]
  • General Injectables & Vaccines, Inc
    Flumazenil Injection, Solution [General Injectables & Vaccines, Inc]
  • General Injectables & Vaccines, Inc
    Flumazenil Injection, Solution [General Injectables & Vaccines, Inc]
  • Cardinal Health
    Flumazenil Injection, Solution [Cardinal Health]
  • Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc
    Flumazenil Injection, Solution [Pfizer Laboratories Div Pfizer Inc]
  • West-ward Pharmaceutical Corp
    Flumazenil Injection, Solution [West-ward Pharmaceutical Corp]
  • Mylan Institutional Llc
    Flumazenil Injection, Solution [Mylan Institutional Llc ]
  • General Injectables And Vaccines, Inc
    Flumazenil Injection [General Injectables And Vaccines, Inc]
  • General Injectables And Vaccines, Inc.
    Flumazenil Injection [General Injectables And Vaccines, Inc.]
  • Sagent Pharmaceuticals
    Flumazenil Injection, Solution [Sagent Pharmaceuticals]

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