Dantrolene (Systemic)
Brand Names : Dantrium, Dantrium Intravenous
Before Using This MedicineIn 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 dantrolene, the
following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to dantrolene. Also tell your health care professional if
you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or
dyes.
Pregnancy - Dantrolene has not been shown to cause birth defects
or other problems in humans.
Breast-feeding - Use of dantrolene is not recommended during breast-feeding.
Children - This medicine has been tested in children 5 years
of age and older and has not been shown to cause different side effects or
problems than it does in adults.
Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically
in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly
the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects
or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use
of dantrolene in the elderly with use in other age groups.
Other medicines - 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 taking
dantrolene, it is especially important that your health care professional
know if you are taking any of the following:
-
Acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) (with long-term, high-dose use) or
-
Amiodarone (e.g., Cordarone) or
-
Anabolic steroids (dromostanolone [e.g., Drolban], ethylestrenol
[e.g., Maxibolin], nandrolone [e.g., Anabolin], oxandrolone [e.g., Anavar],
oxymetholone [e.g., Anadrol], stanozolol [e.g., Winstrol]) or
-
Androgens (male hormones) or
-
Anti-infectives by mouth or by injection (medicine for infection)
or
-
Antithyroid agents (medicine for overactive thyroid) or
-
Carbamazepine (e.g., Tegretol) or
-
Carmustine (e.g., BiCNU) or
-
Central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicine that causes drowsiness)
or
-
Chloroquine (e.g., Aralen) or
-
Daunorubicin (e.g., Cerubidine) or
-
Disulfiram (e.g., Antabuse) or
-
Divalproex (e.g., Depakote) or
-
Estrogens (female hormones) or
-
Etretinate (e.g., Tegison) or
-
Gold salts (medicine for arthritis) or
-
Hydroxychloroquine (e.g., Plaquenil) or
-
Mercaptopurine (e.g., Purinethol) or
-
Methotrexate (e.g., Mexate) or
-
Methyldopa (e.g., Aldomet) or
-
Naltrexone (e.g., Trexan) (with long-term, high-dose use) or
-
Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) containing estrogen or
-
Phenothiazines (acetophenazine [e.g., Tindal], chlorpromazine [e.g.,
Thorazine], fluphenazine [e.g., Prolixin], mesoridazine [e.g., Serentil],
perphenazine [e.g., Trilafon], prochlorperazine [e.g., Compazine], promazine
[e.g., Sparine], promethazine [e.g., Phenergan], thioridazine [e.g., Mellaril],
trifluoperazine [e.g., Stelazine], triflupromazine [e.g., Vesprin], trimeprazine
[e.g., Temaril]) or
-
Phenytoin (e.g., Dilantin) or
-
Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
-
Tricyclic antidepressants (medicine for depression) (amitriptyline
[e.g., Elavil], amoxapine [e.g., Asendin], clomipramine [e.g., Anafranil],
desipramine [e.g., Pertofrane], doxepin [e.g., Sinequan], imipramine [e.g.,
Tofranil], nortriptyline [e.g., Aventyl], protriptyline [e.g., Vivactil],
trimipramine [e.g., Surmontil]) or
-
Valproic acid (e.g., Depakene) - The chance of side effects may
be increased
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of dantrolene. Make sure you tell your doctor
if you have any other medical problems, especially:
-
Emphysema, asthma, bronchitis, or other chronic lung disease or
-
Heart disease or
-
Liver disease, such as hepatitis or cirrhosis (or history of) - The
chance of serious side effects may be increased
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