Formulary
Carbetocin: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Carbetocin clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Carbetocin: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Carbetocin clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
Indications and dose
**Prevention of postpartum haemorrhage after caesarean section**
- **Adult** (By Slow Intravenous Injection): 100 micrograms for 1 dose, to be administered as soon as possible after delivery, preferably before removal of placenta.
**Prevention of postpartum haemorrhage after vaginal delivery**
- **Adult** (By Slow Intravenous Injection, Or By Intramuscular Injection): 100 micrograms for 1 dose, to be administered as soon as possible after delivery, preferably before removal of placenta.
Cautions
Asthma; cardiovascular disease (avoid if severe); hyponatraemia; migraine
Contraindications
Epilepsy
Side effects
Common or very common Abdominal pain; chest pain; chills; dizziness; dyspnoea; feeling hot; flushing; headache; hypotension; nausea; pain; pruritus; taste metallic; tremor; vomiting Uncommon Arrhythmias; fever; muscle weakness Rare or very rare Urinary retention Frequency not known Hyperhidrosis
Interactions
**Severe interactions:**
- Since carbetocin is closely related in structure to oxytocin, the occurrence of interactions known to be associated with oxytocin cannot be excluded: Severe hypertension has been reported when...
**Other interactions (7):**
- During clinical trials, carbetocin has been administered in association with a number of analgesics, spasmolytics and agents used for epidural or spinal anaesthesia, and no drug interactions have...
- During combination with ergot-alkaloids, such as methylergometrine, oxytocin and carbetocin may enhance the blood pressure enhancing effect of these agents.
- If oxytocin or methylergometrine are administered after carbetocin there may be a risk of cumulative exposure.
- Since it has been found that prostaglandins potentiate the effect of oxytocin, it is expected that this can also occur with carbetocin.
- Therefore, it is not recommended that prostaglandins and carbetocin be used together.
- Some inhalation-anaesthetics, such as halothane and cyclopropane may enhance the hypotensive effect and weaken the effect of carbetocin on the uterus.
Hepatic impairment
Manufacturer advises avoid in hepatic disease.
Renal impairment
Manufacturer advises avoid.
Medicinal forms
Clinical governance
**Author:** MedNext Clinical Team. **Clinical reviewer:** Dr Shameer Deen, MBBS, MS, MRCS. **Sources:** BNF, Indian Pharmacopoeia, CIMS India. **Correction:** Report errors at support@mednext.academy.
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