Hydralazine (injection)

Hydralazine (injection)
Adult Indications & Dosage
Pediatric Indications & Dosage
Contraindications
Warnings & Precautions
Adverse Reactions
Drug Interactions
Use in Specific Populations
Administration & Monitoring
Overdosage
Pharmacology
Clinical Studies
How Supplied
Images
Patient Counseling Information
Precautions with Alcohol
Brand Names
Look-Alike Names

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Gerald Chi

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Overview

Hydralazine (injection) is a vasodilator that is FDA approved for the {{{indicationType}}} of severe essential hypertension. Common adverse reactions include chest pain, palpitations, tachycardia, diarrhea, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and headache.

Adult Indications and Dosage

FDA-Labeled Indications and Dosage (Adult)

Hypertension

• When there is urgent need, therapy in the hospitalized patient may be initiated intramuscularly or as a rapid intravenous bolus injection directly into the vein. Hydralazine hydrochloride injection should be used only when the drug cannot be given orally.

• Certain patients (especially those with marked renal damage) may require a lower dose. Blood pressure should be checked frequently. It may begin to fall within a few minutes after injection, with the average maximal decrease occurring in 10 to 80 minutes. In cases where there has been IICPincreased intracranial pressure, lowering the blood pressure may increase cerebral ischemia. Most patients can be transferred to oral hydralazine hydrochloride within 24 to 48 hours.

• The product should be used immediately after the vial is opened. It should not be added to infusion solutions. Hydralazine hydrochloride injection may discolor upon contact with metal; discolored solutions should be discarded.

• Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit.

• Dosing Information

• 20–40 mg IV/IM, repeated as necessary.

Off-Label Use and Dosage (Adult)

Guideline-Supported Use

There is limited information regarding Off-Label Guideline-Supported Use of Hydralazine (injection) in adult patients.

Non–Guideline-Supported Use

Mitral and Aortic Incompetence

• Dosing Information

• 37–225 mg/day

Pulmonary Hypertension

• Dosing Information

• 0.15–0.3 mg/kg

Pediatric Indications and Dosage

FDA-Labeled Indications and Dosage (Pediatric)

Hypertension

• Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established in controlled clinical trials, although there is experience with the use of hydralazine hydrochloride in children.

• Dosing Information

• The usual recommended parenteral dosage, administered intramuscularly or intravenously, is 1.7 to 3.5 mg/kg of body weight daily, divided into four to six doses.

Off-Label Use and Dosage (Pediatric)

Guideline-Supported Use

There is limited information regarding Off-Label Guideline-Supported Use of Hydralazine (injection) in pediatric patients.

Non–Guideline-Supported Use

There is limited information regarding Off-Label Non–Guideline-Supported Use of Hydralazine (injection) in pediatric patients.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to hydralazine
• Coronary artery disease
• Mitral valvular rheumatic heart disease

Warnings

• In a few patients hydralazine may produce a clinical picture simulating systemic lupus erythematosus including glomerulonephritis.

• In such patients hydralazine should be discontinued unless the benefit-to-risk determination requires continued antihypertensive therapy with this drug. Symptoms and signs usually regress when the drug is discontinued but residua have been detected many years later. Long-term treatment with steroids may be necessary.

Precautions

• General

  Myocardial stimulation produced by hydralazine can cause anginal attacks and ECG changes of myocardial ischemia. The drug has been implicated in the production of myocardial infarction. It must, therefore, be used with caution in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.

• The “hyperdynamic” circulation caused by hydralazine may accentuate specific cardiovascular inadequacies. For example, hydralazine may increase pulmonary artery pressure in patients with mitral valvular disease. The drug may reduce the pressor responses to epinephrine. Postural hypotension may result from hydralazine hydrochloride but is less common than with ganglionic blocking agents. It should be used with caution in patients with cerebral vascular accidents.
• In hypertensive patients with normal kidneys who are treated with hydralazine, there is evidence of increased renal blood flow and a maintenance of glomerular filtration rate. In some instances where control values were below normal, improved renal function has been noted after administration of hydralazine. However, as with any antihypertensive agent, hydralazine should be used with caution in patients with advanced renal damage.
• Peripheral neuritis, evidenced by paresthesia, numbness, and tingling, has been observed. Published evidence suggests an antipyridoxine effect, and that pyridoxine should be added to the regimen if symptoms develop.

• Laboratory Tests

• Complete blood counts and antinuclear antibody titer determinations are indicated before and periodically during prolonged therapy with hydralazine even though the patient is asymptomatic. These studies are also indicated if the patient develops arthralgia, fever, chest pain, continued malaise, or other unexplained signs or symptoms.
• A positive antinuclear antibody titer requires that the physician carefully weigh the implications of the test results against the benefits to be derived from antihypertensive therapy with hydralazine hydrochloride.
• Blood dyscrasias, consisting of reduction in hemoglobin and red cell count, leukopenia, agranulocytosis, and purpura, have been reported. If such abnormalities develop, therapy should be discontinued.

Adverse Reactions

Clinical Trials Experience

There is limited information regarding Clinical Trial Experience of Hydralazine (injection) in the drug label.

Postmarketing Experience

• Adverse reactions with hydralazine hydrochloride are usually reversible when dosage is reduced. However, in some cases it may be necessary to discontinue the drug.

• Common adverse reactions include:

• Headache
• Anorexia
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Palpitations
• Tachycardia
• Angina pectoris

• The following adverse reactions have been observed, but there has not been enough systematic collection of data to support an estimate of their frequency.

Neurologic

• Peripheral neuritis, evidenced by paresthesia, numbness, and tingling
• Dizziness
• Tremors
• Muscle cramps
• Psychotic reactions characterized by depression, disorientation, or anxiety.

Cardiovascular

Hypotension, paradoxical pressor response, edema.

Respiratory

Dyspnea.

Gastrointestinal

Constipation, paralytic ileus.

Genitourinary

Difficulty in urination.

Hypersensitivity

Rash, urticaria, pruritus, fever, chills, arthralgia, eosinophilia, and, rarely, hepatitis.

Hematologic

Blood dyscrasias, consisting of reduction in hemoglobin and red cell count, leukopenia, agranulocytosis, purpura; lymphadenopathy; splenomegaly.

Miscellaneous

Nasal congestion, flushing, lacrimation, conjunctivitis.

Drug Interactions

• Drug

• Description

Use in Specific Populations

Pregnancy

Pregnancy Category (FDA):

• Pregnancy Category

Pregnancy Category (AUS):

• Australian Drug Evaluation Committee (ADEC) Pregnancy Category

There is no Australian Drug Evaluation Committee (ADEC) guidance on usage of Hydralazine (injection) in women who are pregnant.

Labor and Delivery

There is no FDA guidance on use of Hydralazine (injection) during labor and delivery.

Nursing Mothers

There is no FDA guidance on the use of Hydralazine (injection) with respect to nursing mothers.

Pediatric Use

There is no FDA guidance on the use of Hydralazine (injection) with respect to pediatric patients.

Geriatic Use

There is no FDA guidance on the use of Hydralazine (injection) with respect to geriatric patients.

Gender

There is no FDA guidance on the use of Hydralazine (injection) with respect to specific gender populations.

Race

There is no FDA guidance on the use of Hydralazine (injection) with respect to specific racial populations.

Renal Impairment

There is no FDA guidance on the use of Hydralazine (injection) in patients with renal impairment.

Hepatic Impairment

There is no FDA guidance on the use of Hydralazine (injection) in patients with hepatic impairment.

Females of Reproductive Potential and Males

There is no FDA guidance on the use of Hydralazine (injection) in women of reproductive potentials and males.

Immunocompromised Patients

There is no FDA guidance one the use of Hydralazine (injection) in patients who are immunocompromised.

Administration and Monitoring

Administration

Oral

Intravenous

Monitoring

There is limited information regarding Monitoring of Hydralazine (injection) in the drug label.

Condition1

Description

IV Compatibility

There is limited information regarding IV Compatibility of Hydralazine (injection) in the drug label.

Overdosage

Acute Overdose

Signs and Symptoms

Description

Management

Description

Chronic Overdose

There is limited information regarding Chronic Overdose of Hydralazine (injection) in the drug label.

Pharmacology

There is limited information regarding Hydralazine (injection) Pharmacology in the drug label.

Mechanism of Action

There is limited information regarding Hydralazine (injection) Mechanism of Action in the drug label.

Structure

There is limited information regarding Structure of Hydralazine (injection) in the drug label.

Pharmacodynamics

There is limited information regarding Pharmacodynamics of Hydralazine (injection) in the drug label.

Pharmacokinetics

There is limited information regarding Pharmacokinetics of Hydralazine (injection) in the drug label.

Nonclinical Toxicology

There is limited information regarding Nonclinical Toxicology of Hydralazine (injection) in the drug label.

Clinical Studies

There is limited information regarding Clinical Studies of Hydralazine (injection) in the drug label.

Condition1

Description

How Supplied

There is limited information regarding Hydralazine (injection) How Supplied in the drug label.

Storage

There is limited information regarding Hydralazine (injection) Storage in the drug label.

Images

Drug Images

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Package and Label Display Panel

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Patient Counseling Information

There is limited information regarding Patient Counseling Information of Hydralazine (injection) in the drug label.

Precautions with Alcohol

• Alcohol-Hydralazine (injection) interaction has not been established. Talk to your doctor about the effects of taking alcohol with this medication.

Brand Names

• Apresoline®

Look-Alike Drug Names

• Apresoline® — Priscoline®

• hydrALAZINE — hydrOXYzine

Drug Shortage Status

Price

References

The contents of this FDA label are provided by the National Library of Medicine.

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