Droperidol (Injection route)

Pronunciation:

droe-PER-i-dol

Brand Names:

Inapsine

Dosage Forms:

Solution

Warnings:

Injection route(Solution)

Cases of QT prolongation and/or torsade de pointes, some fatal, have been reported in patients receiving droperidol at doses at or below recommended doses. All patients should undergo a 12-lead ECG prior to administration of droperidol to determine if a prolonged QT interval (i.e., QTc greater than 440 msec for males or 450 msec for females) is present. Do not administer droperidol if there is a prolonged QT interval. Droperidol is contraindicated in patients with known or suspected QT prolongation, including patients with congenital long QT syndrome. Administer droperidol with extreme caution to patients who may be at risk for development of prolonged QT syndrome, are over 65 years old, abuse alcohol, or when used concomitantly with benzodiazepines, volatile anesthetics, and IV opiates. ECG monitoring should be performed prior to treatment and continued for 2 to 3 hours after completing treatment to monitor for arrhythmias .

Classifications:

Therapeutic—

Antiemetic

Pharmacologic—

Dopamine Antagonist

Chemical—

Butyrophenone

Uses of This Medicine:

Droperidol injection is used to prevent the nausea and vomiting that may occur after surgery or diagnostic procedures.

This medicine is to be given only by or under the direct supervision of your doctor.

Before Using This Medicine:

In 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 this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies—

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.

Children—

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of droperidol injection in children younger than 2 years of age. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Older adults—

No information is available on the relationship of age to the effects of droperidol injection in geriatric patients. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related heart or kidney problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving droperidol injection.

Breast-feeding—

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.

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 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 not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

Acetophenazine
Bepridil
Bromperidol
Cisapride
Clozapine
Dronedarone
Levoketoconazole
Levomethadyl
Mesoridazine
Molindone
Perphenazine
Pimozide
Pipamperone
Piperaquine
Remoxipride
Saquinavir
Sparfloxacin
Terfenadine
Thioridazine
Tiapride
Triflupromazine
Ziprasidone

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.

Acecainide
Acetazolamide
Adagrasib
Ajmaline
Alfentanil
Alfuzosin
Alprazolam
Amiloride
Amiodarone
Amisulpride
Amitriptyline
Amlodipine
Amoxapine
Anagrelide
Apomorphine
Aprindine
Aranidipine
Aripiprazole
Aripiprazole Lauroxil
Arsenic Trioxide
Artemether
Asenapine
Astemizole
Atazanavir
Azimilide
Azithromycin
Azosemide
Bedaquiline
Bemetizide
Bendroflumethiazide
Benzhydrocodone
Benzthiazide
Bretylium
Brofaromine
Bromazepam
Bumetanide
Buprenorphine
Bupropion
Buserelin
Butorphanol
Calcium Oxybate
Cannabidiol
Cannabis
Canrenoate
Castor Oil
Ceritinib
Cetirizine
Chloral Hydrate
Chloroquine
Chlorpromazine
Chlorthalidone
Ciprofloxacin
Citalopram
Clarithromycin
Clobazam
Clofazimine
Clomipramine
Clonazepam
Clopamide
Clorgyline
Clothiapine
Codeine
Crizotinib
Cyclobenzaprine
Cyclothiazide
Dabrafenib
Daridorexant
Dasatinib
Degarelix
Delamanid
Desipramine
Deslorelin
Deutetrabenazine
Dexmedetomidine
Dibenzepin
Dihydrocodeine
Diltiazem
Disopyramide
Docusate
Dofetilide
Dolasetron
Domperidone
Donepezil
Doxepin
Doxylamine
Ebastine
Efavirenz
Encainide
Encorafenib
Enflurane
Entrectinib
Epinephrine
Erythromycin
Escitalopram
Esketamine
Ethacrynic Acid
Etozolin
Felodipine
Fendiline
Fenquizone
Fentanyl
Fexinidazole
Fingolimod
Flecainide
Flibanserin
Fluconazole
Flunarizine
Fluoxetine
Fluspirilene
Fluvoxamine
Formoterol
Foscarnet
Fostemsavir
Furazolidone
Furosemide
Gabapentin
Gabapentin Enacarbil
Gallopamil
Gatifloxacin
Gemifloxacin
Gepirone
Glasdegib
Gonadorelin
Goserelin
Granisetron
Halofantrine
Haloperidol
Halothane
Histrelin
Hydrochlorothiazide
Hydrocodone
Hydroflumethiazide
Hydromorphone
Hydroquinidine
Hydroxychloroquine
Hydroxyzine
Ibutilide
Iloperidone
Imipramine
Indapamide
Inotuzumab Ozogamicin
Iproniazid
Isocarboxazid
Isoflurane
Isradipine
Ivabradine
Ivosidenib
Ketamine
Ketoconazole
Lacidipine
Lacosamide
Lactulose
Lapatinib
Lazabemide
Lefamulin
Lemborexant
Lenvatinib
Leuprolide
Levocetirizine
Levofloxacin
Levorphanol
Lidoflazine
Linezolid
Lithium
Lofexidine
Lopinavir
Lorcainide
Loxapine
Lumefantrine
Macimorelin
Magnesium Oxybate
Mannitol
Mefloquine
Meperidine
Methadone
Metoclopramide
Metolazone
Metronidazole
Mianserin
Mibefradil
Mifepristone
Mirtazapine
Mobocertinib
Moclobemide
Morphine
Morphine Sulfate Liposome
Moxifloxacin
Nafarelin
Nalbuphine
Nefazodone
Nialamide
Nicardipine
Nilotinib
Norfloxacin
Nortriptyline
Octreotide
Ofloxacin
Olanzapine
Ondansetron
Osilodrostat
Osimertinib
Oxaliplatin
Oxycodone
Oxymorphone
Ozanimod
Pacritinib
Paliperidone
Panobinostat
Pargyline
Paroxetine
Pasireotide
Pazopanib
Pentamidine
Pentazocine
Periciazine
Phenelzine
Phenobarbital
Pimavanserin
Piretanide
Pirmenol
Pitolisant
Polythiazide
Ponesimod
Posaconazole
Potassium Oxybate
Prajmaline
Pregabalin
Primidone
Probucol
Procainamide
Procarbazine
Prochlorperazine
Promethazine
Propafenone
Protriptyline
Quetiapine
Quinethazone
Quinidine
Quinine
Quizartinib
Ranolazine
Rasagiline
Relugolix
Remifentanil
Remimazolam
Ribociclib
Risperidone
Ritanserin
Ropeginterferon Alfa-2b-njft
Selegiline
Selpercatinib
Sematilide
Sertindole
Sertraline
Sevoflurane
Sibutramine
Siponimod
Sodium Oxybate
Sodium Phosphate
Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic
Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic
Solifenacin
Sorafenib
Sorbitol
Sotalol
Spiramycin
Spironolactone
Sufentanil
Sulfamethoxazole
Sulpiride
Sultopride
Sunitinib
Tacrolimus
Tapentadol
Tedisamil
Telavancin
Telithromycin
Tetrabenazine
Ticrynafen
Toloxatone
Topiramate
Toremifene
Torsemide
Tramadol
Tranylcypromine
Trazodone
Triamterene
Trichlormethiazide
Triclabendazole
Trifluoperazine
Trimethoprim
Trimipramine
Triptorelin
Urea
Vandetanib
Vardenafil
Vemurafenib
Vilanterol
Vinflunine
Voclosporin
Voriconazole
Xipamide
Zimeldine
Zolmitriptan
Zolpidem
Zotepine
Zuclopenthixol
Zuranolone

Other interactions—

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.

Other medical problems—

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:

Bradycardia (slow heartbeat) or
Cardiac hypertrophy (heart is larger than normal) or
Congestive heart failure or
Heart disease or
Hypokalemia (low potassium in the blood) or
Hypomagnesemia (low magnesium in the blood) or
Pheochromocytoma (adrenal gland tumor)—May cause side effects to become worse.

Cardiac arrhythmias (abnormal heart beats) or
Hypotension (low blood pressure)—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

Congenital long QT syndrome (heart rhythm problem) or
QT prolongation (heart rhythm problem)—Should not be used in patients with these conditions.

Kidney disease or
Liver disease—Use with caution. The effects may be increased because of slower removal of the medicine from the body.

Proper Use of This Medicine:

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine in a hospital. This medicine is given as a shot into a muscle or a vein.

Precautions While Using This Medicine:

Your doctor will check your progress after you receive this medicine. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.

Tell your doctor right away if you have any change in your heart rhythm. The symptoms may include feeling dizzy or faint, or having a fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat. Make sure your doctor knows if you or anyone in your family has ever had a heart rhythm problem such as QT prolongation.

Check with your doctor right away if you have difficulty breathing, a fast heartbeat, a high fever, a change in blood pressure, increased sweating, loss of bladder control, severe muscle stiffness, unusually pale skin, or tiredness. These could be symptoms of a serious condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS).

Droperidol will add to the effects of alcohol and other central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicines that make you drowsy or less alert). Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicine for hay fever, allergies, or colds; sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicine; prescription pain medicine or narcotics; barbiturates or other seizure medicines; and muscle relaxants. Check with your doctor before taking any of these medicines after you receive droperidol.

Side Effects of This Medicine:

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common: Blurred vision; confusion; dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position; sweating; unusual tiredness or weakness

Less common: Chills; cough; difficulty with breathing; difficulty with swallowing; dizziness; fast heartbeat; noisy breathing; puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue; skin rash, hives, or itching; tightness in the chest

Incidence not known: Chest pain or discomfort; fainting; fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse; irregular or slow heart rate; low blood pressure or pulse; severe confusion or loss of consciousness

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common: Anxiety; drowsiness; restlessness; trouble sitting still

Incidence not known: Difficulty with speaking; drooling; loss of balance control; muscle trembling, jerking, or stiffness; seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there; shuffling walk; stiffness of the limbs; twisting movements of the body; uncontrolled movements, especially of the face, neck, and back

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Last Updated: 11/16/2023

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