Bupivacaine Side Effects

Brand Names: Marcaine Spinal, Sensorcaine

Please note - some side effects for Bupivacaine may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA.

Side Effects of Bupivacaine - for the Consumer

Bupivacaine in Dextrose Solution

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Bupivacaine in Dextrose Solution:

Mild dizziness or drowsiness; nausea; vomiting.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Bupivacaine in Dextrose Solution:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blurred vision; changes in hearing; chest pain; excitement; headache; inability to control bowels and urine; irregular heartbeat; numbness that lasts for more than a few hours; paralysis; restlessness; ringing in the ears; seizures; severe dizziness or drowsiness; shivering; tremors; urinary retention.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects to the appropriate agency, please read the Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA.

Bupivacaine Solution

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Bupivacaine Solution:

Mild dizziness or drowsiness.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Bupivacaine Solution:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blurred vision; changes in hearing; chest pain; excitement; irregular heartbeat; nausea; numbness that lasts for more than a few hours; restlessness; ringing in the ears; seizures; severe dizziness or drowsiness; tremors; vomiting.

This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. To report side effects to the appropriate agency, please read the Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA.

Top

Bupivacaine Side Effects - for the Professional

Bupivacaine

Reactions to Bupivacaine are characteristic of those associated with other amide-type local anesthetics.

The most commonly encountered acute adverse experiences which demand immediate countermeasures following the administration of spinal anesthesia are hypotension due to loss of sympathetic tone and respiratory paralysis or underventilation due to cephalad extension of the motor level of anesthesia. These may lead to cardiac arrest if untreated. In addition, dose-related convulsions and cardiovascular collapse may result from diminished tolerance, rapid absorption from the injection site or from unintentional intravascular injection of a local anesthetic solution. Factors influencing plasma protein binding, such as acidosis, systemic diseases which alter protein production, or competition of other drugs for protein binding sites, may diminish individual tolerance.

Respiratory System: Respiratory paralysis or underventilation may be noted as a result of upward extension of the level of spinal anesthesia and may lead to secondary hypoxic cardiac arrest if untreated. Preanesthetic medication, intraoperative analgesics and sedatives, as well as surgical manipulation, may contribute to underventilation. This will usually be noted within minutes of the injection of spinal anesthetic solution, but because of differing surgical maximal onset times, differing intercurrent drug usage and differing manipulation, it may occur at any time during surgery or the immediate recovery period.

Cardiovascular System: Hypotension due to loss of sympathetic tone is a commonly encountered extension of the clinical pharmacology of spinal anesthesia. This is more commonly observed in patients with shrunken blood volume, shrunken interstitial fluid volume, cephalad spread of the local anesthetic, and/or mechanical obstruction of venous return. Nausea and vomiting are frequently associated with hypotensive episodes following the administration of spinal anesthesia. High doses, or inadvertent intravascular injection, may lead to high plasma levels and related depression of the myocardium, decreased cardiac output, bradycardia, heart block, ventricular arrhythmias, and, possibly, cardiac arrest.

Central Nervous System: Respiratory paralysis or underventilation secondary to cephalad spread of the level of spinal anesthesia and hypotension for the same reason are the two most commonly encountered central nervous system-related adverse observations which demand immediate countermeasures.

High doses or inadvertent intravascular injection may lead to high plasma levels and related central nervous system toxicity characterized by excitement and/or depression. Restlessness, anxiety, dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision or tremors may occur, possibly proceeding to convulsions. However, excitement may be transient or absent, with depression being the first manifestation of an adverse reaction. This may quickly be followed by drowsiness merging into unconsciousness and respiratory arrest.

Neurologic: The incidences of adverse neurologic reactions associated with the use of local anesthetics may be related to the total dose of local anesthetic administered and are also dependent upon the particular drug used, the route of administration and the physical status of the patient. Many of these effects may be related to local anesthetic techniques, with or without a contribution from the drug.

Neurologic effects following spinal anesthesia may include loss of perineal sensation and sexual function, persistent anesthesia, paresthesia, weakness and paralysis of the lower extremities, and loss of sphincter control all of which may have slow, incomplete, or no recovery, hypotension, high or total spinal block, urinary retention, headache, backache, septic meningitis, meningismus, arachnoiditis, slowing of labor, increased incidence of forceps delivery, shivering, cranial nerve palsies due to traction on nerves from loss of cerebrospinal fluid, and fecal and urinary incontinence.

Allergic: Allergic-type reactions are rare and may occur as a result of sensitivity to the local anesthetic. These reactions are characterized by signs such as urticaria, pruritus, erythema, angioneurotic edema (including laryngeal edema), tachycardia, sneezing, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, syncope, excessive sweating, elevated temperature, and, possibly, anaphylactoid-like symptomatology (including severe hypotension). Cross sensitivity among members of the amide-type local anesthetic group has been reported. The usefulness of screening for sensitivity has not been definitely established.

Other: Nausea and vomiting may occur during spinal anesthesia.

Top

Side Effects by Body System - for Healthcare Professionals

General

In general, reactions to bupivacaine are typical of those associated with other amide-type local anesthetics. A major cause of adverse reactions to these drugs is high plasma levels, which may be due to overdosage, rapid absorption from injection site, diminished tolerance, accidental intravascular injection, or slow metabolic degradation.

The most common side effects that require immediate countermeasures are related to the central nervous system and the cardiovascular system. These reactions are generally dose related and due to excessive plasma levels. Accidental subarachnoid injection may result in underventilation or apnea. Hypotension caused by loss of sympathetic tone and respiratory paralysis or underventilation caused by cephalad extension of the motor level of anesthesia may occur and may lead to cardiac arrest if untreated. Elderly patients over 65 years of age, especially those with hypertension, may be at higher risk of hypotensive effects. Factors influencing plasma protein binding, such as acidosis, altered protein production due to systemic diseases, or competition with other drugs for protein binding sites, may decrease tolerance.

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects following epidural or caudal anesthesia have included spinal block (including high or total spinal block); hypotension secondary to spinal block; urinary retention; fecal and urinary incontinence; loss of perineal sensation and sexual function; persistent anesthesia, paresthesia, weakness, paralysis of the lower extremities and loss of sphincter control all of which may have slow, incomplete, or no recovery; headache; backache; septic meningitis; meningismus; arachnoiditis; slowing of labor; increased incidence of forceps delivery; shivering; and cranial nerve palsies due to traction on nerves from loss of cerebrospinal fluid. Neurologic effects following other procedures or routes of administration may include persistent anesthesia, paresthesia, weakness, paralysis, all of which may have slow, incomplete, or no recovery. Central nervous system side effects have included excitation and/or depression, restlessness, anxiety, dizziness, tinnitus, blurred vision, tremors, convulsions, drowsiness, unconsciousness, respiratory arrest, nausea, vomiting, chills, and pupil constriction.

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular side effects have included myocardial depression, decreased cardiac output, heart block, hypotension, bradycardia, ventricular arrhythmias (including ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation), and cardiac arrest.

Respiratory

Respiratory side effects have included respiratory paralysis or underventilation (due to upward extension of the level of spinal anesthesia) and may lead to secondary hypoxic cardiac arrest if not treated.

Other

Other side effects have included a high spinal (characterized by paralysis of the legs, loss of consciousness, respiratory paralysis, and bradycardia) following accidental subarachnoid injection.

Hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivity side effects have included allergic-type reactions including signs such as urticaria, pruritus, erythema, angioneurotic edema (including laryngeal edema), tachycardia, sneezing, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, syncope, excessive sweating, elevated temperature, and possibly, anaphylactoid-like symptomatology (including severe hypotension).

Gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal side effects have included nausea and vomiting during spinal anesthesia.

Top

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. In addition, the drug information contained herein may be time sensitive and should not be utilized as a reference resource beyond the date hereof. This information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients, or recommend therapy. This drug information is a reference resource designed as supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill , knowledge, and judgement of healthcare practitioners in patient care. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug of drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Drugs.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.