Droperidol

Generic name: Droperidol
Brand names: Inapsine
Drug class: Miscellaneous central nervous system agents

Usage of Droperidol

Droperidol is a sedative, tranquilizer, and anti-nausea medicine.

Droperidol is used to reduce nausea and vomiting caused by surgery or other medical procedures.

Droperidol may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Droperidol side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Tell your caregivers right away if you have:

fast or pounding heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, shortness of breath, and sudden dizziness (like you might pass out);

slow heart rate, weak pulse, fainting, slow breathing (breathing may stop);

confusion, hallucinations;

bronchospasm (wheezing, chest tightness, trouble breathing);

twitching or uncontrollable movements of your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck; or

severe nervous system reaction--very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors.

Serious side effects may be more likely in older adults.

Common side effects include:

fast heart rate;

drowsiness, dizziness; or

feeling restless, anxious, or uneasy.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Droperidol

You should not be treated with droperidol if you are allergic to it, or if you have a personal or family history of long QT syndrome.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

congestive heart failure;

very slow heartbeats;

high blood pressure;

an electrolyte imbalance (such as low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood);

liver or kidney disease;

pheochromocytoma (tumor of the adrenal gland); or

alcoholism.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

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How to use Droperidol

Before you receive droperidol, your heart function may need to be checked using an electrocardiograph or ECG (sometimes called an EKG).

Droperidol is injected into a muscle, under the skin, or into a vein. You will receive this injection in a medical setting prior to and/or during your surgery or medical procedure.

Your breathing, blood pressure, oxygen levels, kidney function, and other vital signs will be watched closely.

Warnings

Tell your caregivers at once if you have sudden dizziness with fast or pounding heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, or trouble breathing.

What other drugs will affect Droperidol

Droperidol can cause a serious heart problem. Your risk may be higher if you also use certain other medicines for infections, asthma, heart problems, high blood pressure, depression, mental illness, cancer, malaria, or HIV.

Using other drugs that make you drowsy can worsen this effect for a short time after you have received droperidol. Ask your doctor before using opioid medication, a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety or seizures.

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:

a diuretic or "water pill";

heart rhythm medication;

opioid pain medication;

a laxative;

a sedative like Valium--diazepam, alprazolam, lorazepam, Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, and others; or

an MAO inhibitor--isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine, and others.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may affect droperidol, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.