Succinylcholine injection

What is this medicine?

Succinylcholine (SUK seh nil KOH leen) is a skeletal muscle relaxant. It is used to relax muscles during surgery or while on a breathing machine.

How should I use this medicine?

This medicine is for injection into a vein or muscle. It is given by a health care professional in a hospital or clinic setting.

Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. While this drug may be prescribed for children as young as neonates for selected conditions, precautions do apply.

What side effects may I notice from receiving this medicine?

Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:

• allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue

• breathing problems

• eye irritation, itching

• facial flushing

• signs and symptoms of increased potassium like muscle weakness; chest pain; or fast, irregular heartbeat

• signs and symptoms of low blood pressure like dizziness; feeling faint or lightheaded, falls; unusually weak or tired

• signs and symptoms of muscle injury like dark urine; trouble passing urine or change in the amount of urine; unusually weak or tired; muscle pain or side or back pain

• unusually slow heartbeat

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):

• muscle pain

• muscle weakness

What may interact with this medicine?

This medicine may interact with the following medications:

• aprotinin

• birth control pills

• certain antibiotics like amikacin, gentamicin, tobramycin, tetracyclines, bacitracin, polymyxins, lincomycin, clindamycin, colistin, colistimethate

• certain medicines for blood pressure, heart disease, irregular heartbeat

• chloroquine

• general anesthetics like enflurane, isoflurane, halothane

• lidocaine

• lithium

• magnesium

• MAOIs like Carbex, Eldepryl, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate

• metoclopramide

• oxytocin

• procainamide

• quinidine

• quinine

• steroid medicines like prednisone or cortisone

• terbutaline

What if I miss a dose?

This does not apply. This medicine is not for regular use.

Where should I keep my medicine?

This drug is given in a hospital or clinic and will not be stored at home.

What should I tell my health care provider before I take this medicine?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

• glaucoma

• head injury

• high levels of calcium, magnesium, potassium in the blood

• large areas of burned or damaged skin

• low levels of calcium, potassium in the blood

• lung or breathing disease, like asthma

• myasthenia gravis

• an unusual or allergic reaction to succinylcholine, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives

• pregnant or trying to get pregnant

• breast-feeding

What should I watch for while using this medicine?

Your condition will be monitored carefully while you are receiving this medicine.