Consumer medicine information

DBL™ Aminophylline Injection

DBL™ Aminophylline Injection

Aminophylline

Consumer Medicine Information

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about DBL Aminophylline Injection. It does not contain all the available information.

It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.

All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you being given DBL Aminophylline Injection against the benefits this medicine is expected to have for you.

If you have any concerns about being given this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Keep this leaflet in a safe place. You may need to read it again.

What DBL Aminophylline Injection is used for

Aminophylline is used to relieve breathing problems which may occur with:

  • asthma
  • emphysema,
  • bronchitis or
  • other diseases.

Aminophylline works by helping to open up your airways, allowing more air into your lungs.

Your doctor may have prescribed DBL Aminophylline Injection for another reason.

Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why DBL Aminophylline Injection has been prescribed for you.

This medicine is available only with a doctor’s prescription.

Before you are given DBL Aminophylline Injection

When you must not be given it

You must not be given DBL Aminophylline Injection if you have an allergy to aminophylline, theophylline, ethylenediamine or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:

  • shortness of breath
  • wheezing or difficulty breathing
  • swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
  • rash, itching or hives on the skin

You must not be given DBL Aminophylline Injection if you have any of the following conditions:

  • heart disease caused by poor blood flow in the blood vessels of the heart (coronary artery disease)
  • bronchiolitis (bronchopneumonia – a serious lung infection with fever, chills and coughing).

Before you are given it

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have allergies to:

  • any other medicines
  • any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes.

Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had any other health/ medical conditions, especially the following:

  • liver disease
  • kidney disease
  • over- or under-active thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism)
  • heart disease or chest pain (angina)
  • irregular or fast heart beat (tachyarrhythmia)
  • seizures, fits or convulsions (epilepsy)
  • lung problems, including pneumonia or serious lung infection
  • stomach ulcer
  • glaucoma
  • diabetes mellitus
  • gastric reflux
  • alcoholism
  • high blood pressure (hypertension)

Tell your doctor if you have or have recently had:

  • the flu or flu vaccine
  • a fever

Tell your doctor if you smoke cigarettes or marijuana.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of being given aminophylline during pregnancy.

Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of being given aminophylline when breast-feeding.

If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you are given aminophylline.

Taking other medicines

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including medicines that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Some medicines may interfere with aminophylline. These include:

  • caffeine or theophylline
  • oral contraceptives (the Pill)
  • antibiotics (medicines used to treat infections)
  • some sedatives
  • some drugs used to treat depression, including lithium
  • some drugs used to treat epilepsy, including phenytoin and phenobarbitone
  • some drugs used to treat heart disease
  • St John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum).

These medicines may be affected by aminophylline or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicine, or you may need to take different medicines.

Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while using DBL Aminophylline Injection.

How DBL Aminophylline Injection is given

How much is given

Your doctor will decide what dose of DBL Aminophylline Injection you will receive and how long you will receive it for. This depends on your medical condition and other factors, such as your weight.

Sometimes only a single dose is required.

How it is given

DBL Aminophylline Injection can be given in two ways:

  • as a slow injection into a vein
  • as an infusion (drip) into a vein.

DBL Aminophylline Injection must only be given by a doctor or nurse.

If you were given too much (overdose)

As DBL Aminophylline Injection is given to you in hospital under the supervision of your doctor, it is very unlikely that you will receive too much.

Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26 in Australia or call 0800 764 766 in New Zealand) for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have been given too much DBL Aminophylline Injection. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention.

Symptoms of an aminophylline overdose include the side effects listed below in the ‘Side Effects’ section but are usually of a more severe nature.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any concerns.

While you are being given DBL Aminophylline Injection

Things you must do

Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you have any concerns before, during or after administration of DBL Aminophylline Injection.

Side effects

Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being treated with aminophylline.

All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.

Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following while you are being given the injection:

  • nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting
  • headache
  • slow, irregular heart beat or rapid heart beat
  • dizziness, faintness or light-headedness
  • extreme thirst
  • fever
  • a buzzing, whistling or ringing in your ears (tinnitus)

These may be signs that the injection is being given too fast.

Also tell your doctor or nurse if you notice any of the following at any time during treatment with aminophylline:

  • nausea (feeling sick), vomiting or diarrhoea
  • heartburn or other abdominal pain
  • rashes or skin redness or itching
  • nervousness, restlessness, anxiety or irritability
  • tremor
  • headache or fever
  • dizziness or faintness, especially when standing up.

These side effects are usually mild.

Tell your doctor or nurse immediately if you notice any of the following:

  • irregular or fast heartbeat
  • rapid breathing
  • changes in the amount of urine produced by your body
  • convulsions (fits).

These may be more serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention. Serious side effects are rare.

Other side effects not listed above may occur in some patients.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.

After being given DBL Aminophylline Injection

Storage

DBL Aminophylline Injection will be stored in the pharmacy or on the ward. The injection is kept in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C, and it is protected from light.

Product description

What it looks like

DBL Aminophylline Injection is a clear, colorless solution.

Ingredients

DBL Aminophylline Injection contains aminophylline (theophylline and ethylenediamine) and water for injection. The 10 mL ampoule contains 250 milligrams of aminophylline.

DBL Aminophylline Injection does not contain gluten, lactose, sucrose, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.

Supplier / Sponsor

Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd
Sydney NSW
Toll Free Number: 1800 675 229
www.pfizer.com.au

DBL Aminophylline Injection is available in the following strength:
250 mg /10 mL AUST R 16355

This leaflet was updated in March 2021.

Published by MIMS April 2021