Iothalamate Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jan 22, 2025.

Applies to iothalamate: injection solution.

Important warnings This medicine can cause some serious health issues

Injection route (solution)

Not for intrathecal use

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress closely while you are receiving this medicine to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to receive it. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for any unwanted effects.

This medicine may cause heart attack, stroke, and blood clotting problems. Tell your doctor right away if you or your child has chest pain that may spread to your arms, jaw, back, or neck, trouble breathing, nausea, unusual sweating, faintness, coughing up blood, numbness or weakness in your arm or leg, or on one side of your body, sudden or severe headache, or problems with vision, speech, or walking after receiving this medicine.

Check with your doctor right away if you have bloody urine, a decrease in frequency or amount of urine, an increase in blood pressure, increased thirst, loss of appetite, lower back or side pain, nausea, swelling of the face, fingers, or lower legs, trouble breathing, unusual tiredness or weakness, vomiting, or weight gain. These could be symptoms of a serious kidney problem.

This medicine may cause hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) in children 3 years of age and younger. Check with your doctor right away if your child has depressed mood, dry skin and hair, feeling cold, hair loss, hoarseness or a husky voice, muscle cramps and stiffness, slowed heartbeat, weight gain, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

Serious skin reactions , including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis can occur with this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have black, tarry stools, blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, chest pain, chills, cough, diarrhea, fever, itching, joint or muscle pain, painful or difficult urination, red irritated eyes, red skin lesions, often with a purple center, sore throat, sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips, swollen glands, unusual bleeding or bruising, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

Tell your doctor right away if you or your child has mild, burning pain, feeling of warmth or coldness, peeling of the skin, redness, or swelling at the injection site.

While using this medicine, you may be exposed to radiation. Talk with your doctor if you have concerns about this.

Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using iothalamate meglumine injection. This medicine may affect the results of certain medical tests.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements. You should not receive iohexol injection together with a steroid medicine into your spinal cord.

Serious side effects of iothalamate

Along with its needed effects, iothalamate may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking iothalamate:

More common side effects

• bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of the skin, feeling of pressure, hives, infection, inflammation, itching, lumps, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, soreness, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, or warmth at the injection site
• bluish color of fingernails, lips, skin, palms, or nail beds
• chest pain or tightness
• cough
• coughing that sometimes produces a pink frothy sputum
• feeling of warmth
• increased sweating
• noisy breathing
• not breathing
• pale skin
• redness of the face, neck, arms and occasionally, upper chest
• swelling in the legs and ankles
• trouble breathing

Rare side effects

• changes in skin color, pain, tenderness, or swelling of the foot or leg
• chest discomfort
• dizziness
• fainting
• fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat
• lightheadedness
• pounding or rapid pulse
• stopping of the heart
• unconsciousness

Incidence not known

• black, tarry stools
• blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
• blue-green to black skin discoloration
• bruising
• burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles" , or tingling feelings
• chills
• collection of blood under the skin
• constipation
• deep, dark purple bruise
• depressed mood
• diarrhea
• dry mouth
• dry skin and hair
• feeling cold
• hair loss
• hoarseness or husky voice
• itching
• joint or muscle pain
• large, flat, blue or purplish patches in the skin
• large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
• muscle cramps and stiffness
• nervousness
• painful or difficult urination
• partial or slight paralysis
• problems with speech or speaking
• red irritated eyes
• red skin lesions, often with a purple center
• seizures
• sensitivity to heat
• sneezing
• sore throat
• sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
• sweating
• swollen glands
• trouble sleeping
• unusual bleeding or bruising
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• weight gain
• weight loss

For healthcare professionals

Applies to iothalamate: injectable solution.

Dermatologic adverse events

• Common (1% to 10%): Pruritus, urticarial, face edema
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Erythema, rash
• Rare (less than 0.1%): Angioedema, diaphoresis
• Frequency not reported: Ecchymosis and tissue necrosis^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Common (1% to 10%): Nausea, vomiting
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Diarrhea, dry mouth, tongue edema
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Dysphagia^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Common (1% to 10%): Anaphylactoid reactions
• Frequency not reported: Dermal manifestations (urticaria with or without pruritus, erythema, maculopapular rash); dry mouth, sweating, conjunctival symptoms; facial, peripheral, and angioneurotic edema; symptoms related to the respiratory system include sneezing, nasal stuffiness, coughing, choking, dyspnea, chest tightness and wheezing, which may be initial manifestations of more severe and infrequent reactions including asthmatic attack, laryngospasm and bronchospasm with or without edema, pulmonary edema, apnea and cyanosis^[Ref]

Rarely, these allergic-type reactions can progress into anaphylaxis with loss of consciousness and coma and severe cardiovascular disturbances.^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Common (1% to 10%): Rhinitis
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Coughing, dyspnea
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Larynx edema
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Apnea, bronchospasm^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hypotension
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Thrombophlebitis, tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, pallor, vasodilation, cyanosis
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Disseminated intravascular coagulation resulting in death; arrhythmia; bradycardia; cardiac arrest, circulatory failure; abnormal ECG; heart block; phlebitis
• Frequency not reported: Generalized vasodilation, flushing and venospasm; occasionally thrombosis; severe cardiovascular responses include rare cases of hypotensive shock, coronary insufficiency, cardiac arrhythmia, fibrillation and arrest; extravasation with burning pain; hematomas; vascular constriction due to injection rate; thrombosis^[Ref]

These severe reactions are usually reversible with prompt and appropriate management; however, fatalities have occurred.^[Ref]

Endocrine

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Thyroid function tests indicative of hypothyroidism or transient thyroid suppression in adults and pediatric patients (including infants)^[Ref]

Ocular

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Periorbital edema
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Conjunctivitis
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Vision disorders^[Ref]

Local

• Rare (less than 0.1%): Injection side reaction^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Dizziness; paraesthesia; taste perversion
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Agitation, coma, convulsions, dyskinesia, paralysis, tremor, somnolence
• Frequency not reported: Aphasia; syncope, paresis; paralysis resulting from spinal cord injury and pathology associated with syndrome of transverse myelitis; visual field losses which are usually transient but may be permanent; coma and death; headache, trembling, shaking, numbness^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Urinary incontinence^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Thirst^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Involuntary muscle contractions, myalgia, leg pain
• Frequency not reported: Spasm^[Ref]

Other

• Very common (10% or more): Hot flushes, pain
• Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): Malaise
• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Edema, abnormal crying
• Frequency not reported: Chills without fever and lightheadedness^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Anxiety^[Ref]

Renal

• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Acute renal failure, decrease in renal function
• Frequency not reported: Temporary renal shutdown or other nephropathy^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Frequency not reported: Red blood cell clumping and agglutination, crenation and interference in clot formation^[Ref]

See also:

Further information

Iothalamate side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

Medical Disclaimer