Vecuronium bromide
CONSUMER MEDICINE INFORMATION
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet is a summary of some of the information about the drug VECURE. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you having VECURE against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any concerns about being given this medicine.
Keep this leaflet.
You may need to read it again.
What VECURE is used for
VECURE is one of a group called muscle relaxants.
Muscle relaxants are used during an operation as part of the general anaesthetic. When you have an operation, your muscles must be completely relaxed. This makes it easier for the surgeon to perform the operation.
Normally the nerves send messages to the muscles by impulses. VECURE acts by blocking these impulses so the muscles are relaxed. Because the muscles needed for breathing also become relaxed you will need help with your breathing (artificial respiration) during and after your operation until you can breathe on your own. During the operation the effect of the muscle relaxants is constantly checked and if necessary some more drug is given.
At the end of the operation the effects of VECURE are allowed to wear off and you can start breathing on your own. Sometimes another drug is given to help speed this up. VECURE can also be used in Intensive Care to keep your muscles relaxed.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about this medicine.
VECURE is not addictive.
Before you are given VECURE
When you must not be given it
You must not be given VECURE if you have an allergy to:
any medicine containing vecuronium bromide
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin.
This medicine should not be given to a child under the age of one month.
The safety of administration of VECURE has not been established in children under the age of one month.
Before you are given it
If you are going to have an operation it is important that you discuss the following points with your doctor, since it can influence the way VECURE is given to you.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
an allergy to muscle relaxants
kidney disease
liver or gall bladder disease
heart disease
diseases affecting nerves or muscles
oedema (local or generalised swelling due to fluid)
Certain medical conditions may affect how VECURE works:
low potassium levels in the blood
high magnesium levels in the blood
low calcium levels in the blood
low levels of protein in the blood
dehydration
too much acid in the blood
too much carbon dioxide in the blood
general ill-health
overweight
burns
If you are suffering from any of these conditions your doctor will take this into account when deciding the correct dose for you.
Tell your doctor if you have any allergies to any other medicines, food, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding.
Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of using VECURE if you are pregnant or breast feeding.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you are given VECURE.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may be affected by VECURE, or affect how well it works. These include:
anaesthetics, medicines to help you sleep during surgery
long term concurrent use of corticosteroids (anti-inflammatory medicines) and VECURE in the Intensive Care Unit
antibiotics
lithium, a medicine used to treat bipolar disorder
medicines used to treat heart disease or high blood pressure (quinidine, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers and diuretics (fluid tablets))
quinine, medicine used to treat malaria
magnesium salts
lignocaine, a local anaesthetic
other muscle relaxants
phenytoin and carbamazepine, medicines used to treat epilepsy
cimetidine, a medicine used to treat reflux and stomach ulcers.
You may need to use different amounts of your medicines or take different medicines. Your doctor will advise you.
If you are taking magnesium sulfate to treat toxaemia of pregnancy (preeclampsia), tell your doctor as the dose of VECURE may need to be reduced.
Your doctor will have a complete list of medicines that may cause problems when used with VECURE.
How it is given
The medicine will be given by a doctor. It will not be given to you until you are asleep from the anaesthetic.
It will be injected into a vein before and during the operation. It will be given as a single injection or continuous infusion.
The usual dose is 0.1 mg vecuronium bromide per kg body weight and the effect lasts 20-40 minutes. During the operation your doctor will check whether VECURE is still working. You may be given additional doses if they are needed.
If you receive too much (overdose)
As VECURE doses are carefully worked out and are given by a doctor experienced in its use, it is unlikely that you will be given too much medicine. However, if this does happen, your doctor will make sure that you continue breathing artificially until you can breathe on your own again. Your doctor may speed-up your recovery by giving you a drug that reverses the effects of VECURE.
After taking it
Things to be careful of
Your doctor will tell you when it is safe to drive and operate potentially dangerous machinery after you have been given VECURE.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
flushing
pain at injection site
irritation at injection site
red skin rash or itchy rash
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
fast heart beat
dizziness, light-headedness (low blood pressure)
muscle weakness of paralysis
aching muscles or weakness, not caused by exercise
wheezing, coughing
difficulty breathing
rapid, shallow breathing, cold, clammy skin, a rapid, weak pulse, dizziness, weakness and fainting
swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing
sudden signs of allergy such as rash, itching, hives on the skin, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body, shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble breathing.
These are serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.
Storage
VECURE is stored in the hospital. It must be kept below 25°C and protected from light.
Product description
What it looks like
A white powder, which is dissolved with sterile water for injection immediately before use.
Packs
Vials in packs of 10 without solvent.
Ingredients
VECURE contains 10 mg of vecuronium bromide as the active ingredient.
It also contains:
anhydrous citric acid
dibasic anhydrous sodium phosphate
sodium hydroxide
phosphoric acid
mannitol
No preservative has been added.
This medicine does not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
