warnings and cautions
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Hypersensitivity Reactions : Serious and sometimes fatal reactions ( 5.1 ) Microbial Contamination : Strict aseptic technique must be maintained during handling. Propofol injectable emulsion vials are never to be accessed more than once or used on more than one person. Administration should commence promptly and be completed within 12 hours after the vial has been opened. Discard unused drug product. Do not use if contamination is suspected ( 5.2 ) Cardiovascular Depression : Cases of bradycardia, asystole, and cardiac arrest have been reported. Pediatric patients are susceptible to this effect, particularly when fentanyl is given concomitantly ( 5.4 ) 5.1 Anaphylactic and Anaphylactoid Reactions Use of propofol injectable emulsion has been associated with both fatal and life threatening anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions. Clinical features of anaphylaxis, including angioedema, bronchospasm, erythema, and hypotension, occur rarely following propofol injectable emulsion administration. 5.2 Risks of Microbial Contamination Strict aseptic technique must always be maintained during handling. Propofol injectable emulsion is a single-dose parenteral product (single patient infusion vial) which contains benzyl alcohol 1.5 mg/mL and sodium benzoate 0.7 mg/mL to inhibit the rate of growth of microorganisms, for up to 12 hours, in the event of accidental extrinsic contamination. However, propofol injectable emulsion can still support the growth of microorganisms, as it is not an antimicrobially preserved product under USP standards. Do not use if contamination is suspected. Discard unused drug product as directed within the required time limits. There have been reports in which failure to use aseptic technique when handling propofol injectable emulsion was associated with microbial contamination of the product and with fever, infection/sepsis, other life-threatening illness, and/or death. Propofol injectable emulsion vials are never to be accessed more than once or used on more than one person. There have been reports, in the literature and other public sources, of the transmission of bloodborne pathogens (such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV) from unsafe injection practices, and of the use of propofol vials intended for single use on multiple persons. 5.3 Risks of Pediatric Neurotoxicity Published animal studies demonstrate th...