Narcan® Injection

Narcan® Injection

Active ingredient: naloxone hydrochloride

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Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)

This leaflet provides important information about using Narcan Injection. You should also speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you would like further information or if you have any concerns or questions about using Narcan Injection.

Where to find information in this leaflet:

1. Why am I using Narcan Injection?
2. What should I know before I use Narcan Injection?
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
4. How do I use Narcan Injection?
5. What should I know while using Narcan Injection?
6. Are there any side effects?
7. Product details

1. Why am I using Narcan Injection?

Narcan Injection contains the active ingredient naloxone hydrochloride. Narcan Injection belongs to a group of medicines called opioid antagonists.

Narcan Injection is used to reverse the effects of opium-like substances such as morphine, heroin, and codeine.

Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.

Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you. This medicine is available only with a doctor’s prescription.

2. What should I know before I use Narcan Injection?

Warnings

Do not use Narcan Injection if:

• you are allergic to:
  – naloxone hydrochloride
  – any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.

Some of the 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.
• Always check the ingredients to make sure you can use this medicine.

Check with your doctor if you:

• have allergies to any medicines, food, preservatives or dyes
• have or have had the following medical conditions:
  – heart disease
  – lung disease
  – kidney disease
  – liver disease
  – drug addiction (including and addiction to alcohol).

You should not be given Narcan Injection if:

• the solution is discoloured, cloudy, turbid, or a precipitate is present. The injection is normally a clear colourless solution.

If you are not sure whether you should be given Narcan Injection talk to your doctor.

During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information under Section 6. Are there any side effects?

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Check with your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.

Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed.

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

3. What if I am taking other medicines?

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

Some medicines may interfere with Narcan Injection and affect how it works.

These include but are not limited to:

• pain killers
• cough and cold remedies
• alcohol
• heart or blood pressure medications.

These medicines may be affected by Narcan Injection or may affect how well Narcan Injection works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take difference medicines.

Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about what medicines, vitamins or supplements you are taking and if these affect Narcan Injection.

4. How do I use Narcan Injection?

Narcan Injection must only be given by a doctor or a healthcare professional.

How it is given

Narcan Injection can be given:

• as an injection into a muscle (intramuscular)
• just under the skin (subcutaneous) or
• as a slow injection into a vein (intravenous).

How much is given

• Your doctor will decide what dose of Narcan Injection you will receive and how long you will receive it for. This depends on your medical condition and other factors.
• Sometimes only a single dose of Narcan Injection is required.

When to use Narcan Injection

• to reverse the effects of opium-like substances such as morphine, heroin, and codeine.

If you are given too much Narcan Injection

Overdose is unlikely to occur as Narcan Injection is always given to you under the supervision of a doctor. Symptoms of an overdose may be the same as side effects but may be more severe. The symptoms of a side effect are listed under 6. Are there any side effects? below.

You should immediately:

• phone the Poisons Information Centre
  (by calling 13 11 26), or
• contact your doctor, or
• go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.

You should do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.

5. What should I know while using Narcan Injection?

Things you should do

If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you have been given Narcan Injection.

Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who treat you that you have been given Narcan Injection.

If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you have been given Narcan Injection. It may affect other medicines used during the surgery.

If you are about to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are being given this medicine. It may interfere with the results of some tests.

If you are on a salt restricted diet, tell you doctor that you are taking this medicine. Your diet may need to be changed.

If you feel light-headed, dizzy, or faint when getting out of bed or standing up, get up slowly.

Standing up slowly, especially when you get up from a bed or a chair, will help your body get used to the change in position and blood pressure. If this problem continues to get worse talk to your doctor.

Call your doctor straight away if you:

• become pregnant while being given Narcan Injection.

Remind any doctor, dentist, pharmacist, or nurse you visit that you have been given Narcan Injection.

Driving or using machines

Do not drive or operate machinery for at least 24 hours (1 day) after you have been given Narcan Injection.

Drinking alcohol

Do not drink alcohol while you are being given this medicine.

Looking after your medicine

• Narcan Injection will be stored in the hospital or pharmacy. The medicine is kept in a cool dry place, protected from light, where the temperature stays below 25°C.
• Narcan Injection will only be opened when it is time for you to have the injection.

Keep it where young children cannot reach it.

6. Are there any side effects?

Narcan Injection helps most people reverse the life threatening opioid overdose, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people.

All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience any side effects, most of them are minor and temporary. However, some side effects may need medical attention.

See the information below and, if you need to, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any further questions about side effects.

Do not be alarmed by the following list of side effects. You may not experience any of them.

Less serious side effects

Less serious side effects	What to do
Pain at the site of the injection may be experienced. Other side effects may include: Nervous system: Dizziness, headache Gastrointestinal: nausea, vomiting	Speak to your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects and they worry you. This list includes the more common side effects of your medicine.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects	What to do
Cardiovascular: increase in heart rate Nervous system: sweating, tremor, nervousness, restlessness, or irritability, violent behaviour or agitation	Call your doctor straight away or go straight to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital if you notice any of these serious side effects.

Very serious side effects

Very serious side effects	What to do
Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body may be experienced. Other side effects may include: Respiratory: shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing Skin: rash, itching or hives on the skin	Call your doctor straight away or go straight to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital if you notice any of these serious side effects. These side effects are very rare.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making you feel unwell.

Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people.

Reporting side effects

After you have received medical advice for any side affects you experience, you can report side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop taking any of your medicines.

7. Product details

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

What Narcan Injection contains

Active ingredient (main ingredient)	naloxone hydrochloride
Other ingredients (inactive ingredients)	sodium chloride hydrochloric acid water for injections

Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients.

Narcan Injection does not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine, alcohol, dyes or any preservatives.

What Narcan Injection looks like

Narcan Injection is a clear, colourless solution in ampoules of 2 mL capacity. (AUST R 57306).

Phebra product code: INJ174.

Who distributes Narcan Injection

Narcan Injection is supplied in Australia by:

Phebra Pty Ltd
19 Orion Road, Lane Cove West,
NSW 2066, Australia.
Telephone: 1800 720 020.

This leaflet was prepared in Jul 2021.

Narcan, Phebra and the Phi symbol are trademarks of Phebra Pty Ltd, 19 Orion Road, Lane Cove West, NSW 2066, Australia.