Clonidine Hydrochloride
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about MZ Clonidine HCl 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 benefits and risks. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you using the MZ Clonidine HCl Injection against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about being treated with MZ Clonidine HCl Injection, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
This leaflet was last updated on the date at the end of this leaflet. More recent information may be available. The latest Consumer Medicine Information is available from your pharmacist, doctor, or from www.tga.gov.au and may contain important information about the medicine and its use of which you should be aware.
Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
What MZ Clonidine HCl Injection is used for
MZ Clonidine HCl Injection lowers high blood pressure, also called hypertension.
Everyone has blood pressure. This pressure helps your blood move around your body. Your blood pressure may be different at different times of the day. You have hypertension when your blood pressure stays higher than normal, even when you are calm or relaxed.
There are usually no signs of hypertension. The only way of knowing that you have hypertension is to have your blood pressure checked on a regular basis. You may feel fine and have no symptoms, but if high blood pressure is not treated, it can lead to serious health problems (such as heart disease).
How MZ Clonidine HCl Injection works
MZ Clonidine HCl Injection works by relaxing and widening blood vessels and so helps to lower your blood pressure.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine is being given to you. Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
Before you use MZ Clonidine HCl Injection
When you should not be given it
You should not be given MZ Clonidine HCl Injection if you have an allergy to:
- any medicine containing clonidine
- 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.
MZ Clonidine HCl Injection should not be given to you if you have certain heart problems, such as irregular/slow heartbeat.
You should not be given this medicine if you are pregnant. It may affect your developing baby if you are given it during pregnancy.
Do not breast-feed if you are given this medicine. The active ingredient in MZ Clonidine HCl Injection passes into breast milk and there is a possibility that your baby may be affected.
This medicine should not be given to a child under the age of 18 years of age.
Serious side effects have been observed when clonidine, the active ingredient in MZ Clonidine HCl Injection is used with methylphenidate in children with ADHD. Therefore, MZ Clonidine HCl Injection in this combination is not recommended.
MZ Clonidine HCl Injection must not be used after the expiry date printed on the pack or ampoule or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
If you are not sure whether you should be given this medicine, talk to your doctor.
Before you start to use it:
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
- heart failure or any heart or circulation problem
- stroke, or transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
- mental depression
- sugar diabetes
- nerve damage, which may lead to weakness in the arms and legs
- constipation
- phaeochromocytoma (a rare tumour of the adrenal gland)
- any problems with your kidneys.
If you are uncertain as to whether you have, or have had, any of these conditions you should raise those concerns with your doctor.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you are given MZ Clonidine HCl Injection.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and MZ Clonidine HCl Injection may interfere with each other. These include:
- other medicines for high blood pressure
- medicines for heart problems
- alcohol
- medicines used to control mood swings and some types of depression
- medicines used to relieve pain, swelling or other symptoms of inflammation.
These medicines may be affected by MZ Clonidine HCl Injection or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while being given this medicine.
Taking MZ Clonidine HCl Injection
How it is given
MZ Clonidine HCl Injection can be given as an injection into a muscle or as a slow injection into a vein (over five minutes).
MZ Clonidine HCl Injection should only be given to patients in a lying position.
MZ Clonidine HCl Injection should only be used under the supervision of a doctor and in a setting where appropriate equipment is readily available for diagnosis and patient monitoring.
If you take too much (overdose)
As MZ Clonidine HCl Injection is given to you under the supervision of your doctor, it is very unlikely that you will receive too much.
Symptoms of an overdose may include slow heartbeat, drowsiness, temporarily stopping breathing and coma. Other signs include dizziness, weakness, lethargy, feeling cold, vomiting, looking pale, or having an irregular heartbeat.
Tell your doctor or nurse immediately if you experience any signs of overdose, or, if you are not in hospital, or contact the Australian Poisons information Centre on 13 11 26 (AUS), or go to the Emergency department at your nearest hospital. You may need urgent medical attention.
While you are being given MZ Clonidine HCl Injection
Things you must do:
Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who treat you that you have been given this medicine.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being given MZ Clonidine HCl Injection.
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 the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor or nurse to answer any questions you may have.
The more frequently reported side effects of MZ Clonidine HCl Injection are light-headedness when you stand up suddenly, drowsiness, dryness of the mouth, nausea and vomiting.
Less frequently reported side effects of MZ Clonidine HCl Injection include the following:
- blurred vision
- dizziness
- confusion
- headache
- sleep disturbances
- mental depression
- irrational or abnormal thoughts
- irritability
- decreased sexual drive / impotence
- generally feeling unwell
- thinning of hair
- rash / hives / itching
- constipation
- dryness of the nose and eyes
- pain in the salivary glands
- tingling or numbness of the hands or feet
- larger breasts than normal, in men
- slow or irregular heart beat
- blood glucose increased.
Occasional reports of abnormal liver function tests and cases of hepatitis have also been reported.
Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you experience any side effects during or after treatment with MZ Clonidine HCl Injection, so that these may be properly treated.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice anything unusual, during or after treatment with MZ Clonidine HCl Injection.
After being given MZ Clonidine HCl Injection
MZ Clonidine HCl Injection will be stored in the pharmacy or ward below 25°C. Protect from Light.
Product is for single use in one patient only.
Discard any residue.
Product description
What it looks like:
MZ Clonidine HCl Injection is a clear, colourless solution. It comes in a glass ampoule.
Ingredients:
Each MZ Clonidine HCl Injection contains 150 micrograms clonidine hydrochloride as the active ingredient in 1 mL of solution. It also contains sodium chloride, hydrochloric acid and water for injections.
Supplier
Australian Sponsor
Medicianz Healthcare Pty Limited
Unit 2, 6-7 Gilda Court
Mulgrave Victoria
Australia 3170
Marketed and distributed in Australia by: Medsurge Healthcare Pty Ltd.
Registration Number
AUST R 233725
This leaflet was prepared in 22 October 2018.
Published by MIMS January 2019
