Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

  1. Isovue-200
  2. Isovue-250
  3. Isovue-300
  4. Isovue-370
  5. Isovue-M 200
  6. Isovue-M 300

Descriptions


Iopamidol injection is used to help diagnose or find problems in the brain, heart, head, blood vessels, and other parts of the body. It is an iodinated contrast agent. Contrast agents are used to create a clear picture of the different parts of the body during certain medical procedures (eg, CT scans and angiography).

This medicine is to be given only by or under the supervision of a doctor.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

  • Solution

Before Using

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of iopamidol injection in children. Some children with certain medical conditions (eg, asthma, heart failure, or kidney problems) may have more unwanted side effects which may require caution in patients receiving this medicine.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of iopamidol injection have not been performed in the geriatric population. However, no geriatric-specific problems have been documented to date.

Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

  • Metformin

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

  • Allergy to a contrast agent, history of or
  • Asthma—Use with caution. May increase risk of having allergic reactions.
  • Anuria (not able to pass urine) or
  • Blood vessel disease, severe or
  • Congestive heart failure or
  • Dehydration or
  • Diabetes or
  • Diabetic nephropathy or
  • Kidney disease or
  • Multiple myeloma (cancer of plasma cells) or
  • Paraproteinemia (high amount of paraprotein in the blood)—May increase risk of having kidney failure.
  • Blood clotting problems (eg, phlebitis, thrombosis) or
  • Heart or blood vessel disease (eg, arteriosclerosis) or
  • Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) or
  • Kidney disease, severe or
  • Liver disease or
  • Myasthenia gravis or
  • Pheochromocytoma (adrenal problem) or
  • Pulmonary hypertension or
  • Sickle cell anemia (inherited blood disorder)—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.
  • Homocystinuria (genetic disease)—Patients with this condition should avoid undergoing angiography because of the increase risk of having blood clotting problems.

Proper Use

A doctor or other trained health professional will give you or your child this medicine in a hospital. This medicine is given through a needle placed in an artery or a vein.

Drink extra fluids so you will pass more urine while you or your child are receiving this medicine. This may help prevent kidney problems.

Your doctor may also give you medicines (eg, allergy medicine, steroids) to help prevent allergic reactions.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress closely while you are receiving this medicine to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to receive it. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for any unwanted effects.

This medicine may cause heart attack, stroke, and blood clotting problems. Tell your doctor right away if you or your child has chest pain that may spread to your arms, jaw, back, or neck, trouble breathing, nausea, unusual sweating, faintness, coughing up blood, numbness or weakness in your arm or leg, or on one side of your body, sudden or severe headache, or problems with vision, speech, or walking after receiving this medicine.

Check with your doctor right away if you have bloody urine, a decrease in frequency or amount of urine, an increase in blood pressure, increased thirst, loss of appetite, lower back or side pain, nausea, swelling of the face, fingers, or lower legs, trouble breathing, unusual tiredness or weakness, vomiting, or weight gain. These could be symptoms of a serious kidney problem.

This medicine may cause hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) in children 3 years of age and younger. Children with congenital (from birth) heart problems may have an increased risk of hypothyroidism. Check with your doctor right away if your child has depressed mood, dry skin and hair, feeling cold, hair loss, hoarseness or a husky voice, muscle cramps and stiffness, slowed heartbeat, weight gain, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

Serious skin reactions , including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis can occur with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have black, tarry stools, blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, chest pain, chills, cough, diarrhea, fever, itching, joint or muscle pain, painful or difficult urination, red irritated eyes, red skin lesions, often with a purple center, sore throat, sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips, swollen glands, unusual bleeding or bruising, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Tell your doctor right away if you have chest tightness, cough, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, fast heartbeat, hives, itching, skin rash, puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue, trouble breathing, or unusual tiredness or weakness after you receive this medicine.

Tell your doctor right away if you or your child has mild, burning pain, feeling of warmth or coldness, peeling of the skin, redness, or swelling at the injection site.

While using this medicine, you may be exposed to radiation. Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about this.

Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. This medicine may affect the results of certain medical tests.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common

  1. Arm, back, or jaw pain
  2. blurred vision
  3. chest pain or discomfort
  4. chest tightness or heaviness
  5. confusion
  6. dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
  7. fast or irregular heartbeat
  8. feeling of warmth
  9. hives
  10. lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting
  11. nausea
  12. redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally, upper chest
  13. slow or irregular heartbeat
  14. sudden sweating
  15. trouble breathing
  16. unusual tiredness or weakness

Less common or rare

  1. Blue lips and fingernails
  2. changes in skin color
  3. chills
  4. coughing that sometimes produces a pink frothy sputum
  5. decrease in the frequency of urination
  6. decrease in urine volume
  7. difficulty in passing urine (dribbling)
  8. dizziness
  9. fainting
  10. fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
  11. fever
  12. headache
  13. hives or welts, itching, or skin rash
  14. increased sweating
  15. nervousness
  16. numbness or tingling in the face, arms, or legs
  17. pain or discomfort in the arms, jaw, back, or neck
  18. pain, tenderness, or swelling of the foot or leg
  19. painful urination
  20. pale skin
  21. pounding in the ears
  22. redness of the skin
  23. severe, unusual tiredness or weakness
  24. trouble speaking, thinking, or walking
  25. vomiting

Rare

  1. Double vision
  2. inability to move the arms, legs, or facial muscles
  3. pain in the chest, groin, or legs, especially the calves
  4. severe, sudden headache
  5. slow speech
  6. slurred speech
  7. sudden loss of coordination
  8. sudden, severe weakness or numbness in the arm or leg
  9. vision changes

Incidence not known

  1. Bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of the skin, feeling of pressure, hives, infection, inflammation, itching, lumps, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, soreness, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, or warmth at the injection site
  2. change in consciousness
  3. heart stops
  4. loss of consciousness
  5. no breathing
  6. no pulse or blood pressure
  7. no sensation in the legs
  8. not able to pass urine
  9. seizures
  10. unable to move the legs

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common or rare

  1. Bad, unusual, or unpleasant (after) taste
  2. change in taste
  3. discouragement
  4. disturbed color perception
  5. feeling sad or empty
  6. halos around lights
  7. irritability
  8. loss of appetite
  9. loss of interest or pleasure
  10. loss of vision
  11. night blindness
  12. overbright appearance of lights
  13. stuffy nose
  14. trouble concentrating
  15. trouble sleeping
  16. tunnel vision
  17. weight loss

Incidence not known

  1. Burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
  2. burning, dry, or itching eyes
  3. discharge or excessive tearing
  4. general feeling of discomfort or illness
  5. loss of memory
  6. problems with memory
  7. redness, pain, or swelling of the eye, eyelid, or inner lining of the eyelid
  8. runny nose
  9. sneezing
  10. stomach cramps
  11. trembling or shaking of the hands or feet

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Portions of this document last updated: Feb. 01, 2024

Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/iopamidol-injection-route/description/drg-20150965