Bupivacaine

• To produce numbness at the site of injection.
• It is injected around a nerve to block the nerve and relieve pain
• It is injected around the spinal cord to prevent or relieve labour pain or caesarean section or post-operative pain.

When should one not use Bupivacaine

• If you are allergic to bupivacaine or any other local anaesthetic or any other ingredient of Bupivacaine.
• If you have any kind of skin infection with pus.
• If you have poor blood circulation to the heart, low blood pressure, weak pulse, sweating or confusion.
• If you have any blood clotting-related disorder or you are taking any anti-coagulants.
• If you are suffering from any kind of infection, spinal or brain tumour.
• If you have bleeding inside the head.
• If you have increased pressure within the brain.

Common side effects of this drug are:

• Low blood pressure
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• High blood pressure
• Slow heart beat
• Difficulty in passing urine

Other General Warnings

• You have any kind of underlying medical condition such as liver or kidney problem, poor blood circulation to the brain, tumour in the womb or ovary, fluid accumulation around the lungs etc.
• You have any kind of heart condition that affects your heart rate.
• You have low blood pressure.
• You experience shortness of breath due to a tumour in your stomach.
• You are elderly.
• You are pregnant.
• You have a history of high blood pressure or excess fluid in the womb during pregnancy.
• You have excess fat in your body.
• You experience symptoms like sweating, confusion, dizziness due to dehydration or severe blood loss.

How Does It Work?

Interactions with other medicines

• Some medicines affect the way Bupivacaine works or Bupivacaine itself reduce the effectiveness of other medicines taken at the same time. Inform the doctor about medicines, supplements or herbals you are taking or might take to avoid possible interactions.
• In particular, if you are taking medications for controlling heart rhythm like amiodarone or any other medicine with local anaesthetic effect, anticoagulant medicine like aspirin, anti-hypertensive medicines like atenolol etc.

Overdose

Missed a Dose