Succinylcholine (intramuscular route, intravenous route)

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.

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of succinylcholine injection in the pediatric population. However, children are more likely to have unwanted side effects, including heart rhythm problems, heart disease from hyperkalemic rhabdomyolysis.

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of succinylcholine injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related liver, kidney, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving this medicine.

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

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.

• Acetyldigoxin
• Amikacin
• Desflurane
• Deslanoside
• Dibekacin
• Digitoxin
• Digoxin
• Donepezil
• Gentamicin
• Isoflurane
• Kanamycin
• Lidocaine
• Metildigoxin
• Netilmicin
• Pancuronium
• Procainamide
• Promazine
• Quinidine
• Quinine
• Sevoflurane
• St John's Wort
• Streptomycin
• Thiopental
• Tobramycin

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Atracurium
• Bambuterol
• Distigmine
• Echothiophate
• Fospropofol
• Lithium
• Magnesium
• Metoclopramide
• Mivacurium
• Neostigmine
• Physostigmine
• Propofol
• Pyridostigmine
• Vancomycin

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.

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:

• Bleeding problems or
• Nerve problems or
• Stomach infection—Use with caution. May increased risk of having severe hyperkalemia.

• Fracture or
• Heart or blood vessel disease or
• Heart rhythm problems or
• Hyperkalemia (high potassium in the blood) or
• Hypocalcemia (low calcium in the blood) or
• Hypokalemia (low potassium in the blood) or
• Hypotension (low blood pressure) or
• Hypovolemia (low blood volume) or
• Increase intraocular pressure or
• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

• Hereditary problems (eg, high risk for malignant hyperthermia) or
• Injury (eg, major burns, multiple trauma, muscle or nerve injury) or
• Muscle problems—Should not be used in patients with these conditions.

Incidence not known

• Blurred vision
• change in vision
• chest pain, discomfort, or tightness
• confusion
• cough
• dark-colored urine
• difficulty swallowing
• dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
• dizziness
• fainting
• fast, slow, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
• headache
• high fever
• hives, itching, or skin rash
• lightheadedness
• loss of vision
• muscle twitches, pain, stiffness, cramps, or spasms
• nausea or vomiting
• nervousness
• no blood pressure or pulse
• numbness or tingling in the hands, feet, or lips
• pale or blue lips, fingernails, or skin
• pounding in the ears
• puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• rigid muscles
• stopping of the heart
• sweating
• trouble breathing
• unconsciousness
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• weakness or heaviness of the legs

Incidence not known

• Watering of the mouth and drooling