Active ingredient
- bupivacaine hydrochloride
Legal Category
POM: Prescription only medicine
POM: Prescription only medicine
The Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) is the leaflet included in the pack with a medicine. It is written for patients and gives information about taking or using a medicine. It is possible that the leaflet in your medicine pack may differ from this version because it may have been updated since your medicine was packaged.
Below is a text only representation of the Patient Information Leaflet. The original leaflet can be viewed using the link above.
The text only version may be available in large print, Braille or audio CD. For further information call emc accessibility on 0800 198 5000. The product code(s) for this leaflet are: PL39699/0079, PL39699/0078.
Marcain Polyamp Steripack 0.25% and 0.5%
Package leaflet: Information for the user
Marcain® Polyamp Steripack 0.25% and 0.5%
bupivacaine hydrochloride
Read all of this leaflet carefully before this medicine is given to you because it contains important information for you.
What is in this leaflet:
1. What Marcain Polyamp Steripack is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before Marcain Polyamp Steripack is given to you
3. How Marcain Polyamp Steripack is given to you
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Marcain Polyamp Steripack
6. Contents of the pack and other information
1. What Marcain Polyamp Steripack is and what it is used for
Marcain Polyamp Steripack contains a medicine called bupivacaine hydrochloride. It belongs to a group of medicines called local anaesthetics.
Marcain Polyamp Steripack is used to numb (anaesthetise) parts of the body. It is used to stop pain happening or to provide pain relief. It can be used to:
2. What you need to know before Marcain Polyamp Steripack is given to you
You must not be given Marcain Polyamp Steripack:
You must not be given Marcain Polyamp Steripack if any of the above apply to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or nurse before you are given Marcain Polyamp Steripack.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or nurse before having Marcain Polyamp Steripack:
Children
If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or nurse before you are given Marcain Polyamp Steripack.
Other medicines and Marcain Polyamp Steripack
Tell your doctor if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This includes medicines that you buy without a prescription and herbal medicines. This is because Marcain Polyamp Steripack can affect the way some medicines work and some medicines can have an effect on Marcain Polyamp Steripack.
In particular, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
Your doctor needs to know about these medicines to be able to work out the correct dose of Marcain Polyamp Steripack for you.
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think that you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine.
Driving and using machines
Marcain Polyamp Steripack may make you feel sleepy and affect the speed of your reactions. After you have been given Marcain Polyamp Steripack, you should not drive or use tools or machines until the next day.
Marcain Polyamp Steripack contains sodium
Marcain Polyamp Steripack contains up to 3.15 milligrams (mg) of sodium in each millilitre (ml), equivalent to 31.4 mg per 10 ml ampoule. Your doctor will take this into account if you are on a sodium controlled diet.
3. How Marcain Polyamp Steripack is given to you
Marcain Polyamp Steripack will be given to you by a doctor. Your doctor will know the correct way to give you this medicine.
The dose that your doctor gives you will depend on the type of pain relief that you need and the part of your body that the medicine will be injected into. It will also depend on your body size, age, and physical condition. Usually one dose will last long enough but more doses may be given if the surgery takes a long time.
Marcain Polyamp Steripack will be given to you as an injection. The part of the body where you are injected will depend on why you are being given Marcain Polyamp Steripack. Your doctor will give you Marcain Polyamp Steripack in one of the following places:
When Marcain Polyamp Steripack is injected into the body in one of these ways, it stops the nerves from being able to pass pain messages to the brain. It will slowly wear off when the medical procedure is over.
If you have been given too much Marcain Polyamp Steripack
Serious side effects from getting too much Marcain Polyamp Steripack are unlikely. They need special treatment and the doctor treating you is trained to deal with these situations. The first signs of being given too much Marcain Polyamp Steripack are usually as follows:
To reduce the risk of serious side effects, your doctor will stop giving you Marcain Polyamp Steripack as soon as these signs appear. This means that if any of these happen to you, or you think you have received too much Marcain Polyamp Steripack, tell your doctor immediately.
More serious side effects from being given too much Marcain Polyamp Steripack include twitching of your muscles, fits (seizures), and loss of consciousness.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Severe allergic reactions (rare, may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
If you have a severe allergic reaction, tell your doctor immediately. The signs may include sudden onset of:
Other possible side effects:
Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
Possible side effects seen with other local anaesthetics which might also be caused by Marcain Polyamp Steripack include:
Do not be concerned by this list of possible side effects. You may not get any of them.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Marcain Polyamp Steripack
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What Marcain Polyamp Steripack contains
The active ingredient is bupivacaine hydrochloride. Marcain Polyamp Steripack comes in two strengths: 2.5 mg or 5 mg of bupivacaine hydrochloride per ml of solution.
The other ingredients are sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid and water for injections.
What Marcain Polyamp Steripack looks like and contents of the pack
Marcain Polyamp Steripack is a solution for injection. It comes in 10 ml or 20 ml plastic ampoules in cartons of 5 or 10. Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
The Marketing Authorisations for Marcain Polyamp Steripack 0.25% and 0.5% are held by
Marcain Polyamp Steripack 0.25% and 0.5% is manufactured by
and
To listen to or request a copy of this leaflet in Braille, large print or audio please call, free of charge:
0800 198 5000 (UK only)
Please be ready to give the following information:
Product name Reference number
Marcain Polyamp Steripack 0.25% 39699/0078
Marcain Polyamp Steripack 0.5% 39699/0079
This is a service provided by the Royal National Institute of Blind People.
This leaflet was last revised in November 2016.
© AstraZeneca 2014.
Marcain is a trade mark of the AstraZeneca group of companies.
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