Diazoxide (injection)

What is the most important information I should know about diazoxide?

If possible before you receive diazoxide, tell your doctor if you have taken any blood pressure medication within the past 6 hours.

You should not receive this medication if you are allergic to diazoxide, diuretics (water pills), or sulfa drugs.

If possible, before you receive diazoxide, tell your doctor if you have diabetes, congestive heart failure, circulation problems, kidney disease, or epilepsy or other seizure disorder.

In an emergency situation, it may not be possible before you are treated with diazoxide to tell your caregivers about any health conditions you have or if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. However, make sure any doctor caring for your pregnancy or your baby knows that you have received this medication.

While receiving diazoxide, tell your caregivers if you feel short of breath or like you might pass out, or if you have chest pain or heavy feeling, seizure (convulsions), sudden numbness or weakness, sudden headache or blurred vision, or pain or swelling in one or both legs.

What is diazoxide?

Diazoxide is an anti-hypertensive (lowers blood pressure).

Diazoxide is used in medical emergencies to treat dangerously high blood pressure (hypertension).

Diazoxide may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before receiving diazoxide?

You should not receive this medication if you are allergic to diazoxide, diuretics (water pills), or sulfa drugs.

If possible, before you receive diazoxide, tell your doctor if you have:

• diabetes;
• congestive heart failure;
• circulation problems;
• kidney disease; or
• epilepsy or other seizure disorder.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take diazoxide.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether diazoxide passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How is diazoxide given?

Diazoxide is used in medical emergencies to treat dangerously high blood pressure (hypertension).

Diazoxide is given as an injection through a needle placed into a vein. The medicine is usually given every 5 to 15 minutes until your blood pressure reaches a safe level.

You will need to remain lying down while receiving diazoxide.

Tell your caregivers if you feel any swelling or pain around the IV needle when the medicine is injected.

Your blood pressure, heart rate, and other vital signs will be watched closely while you are receiving diazoxide.

Your blood will also need to be tested often. This will help your doctor determine how long to treat you with diazoxide.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since diazoxide is given as needed by a healthcare professional, it is not likely that you will miss a dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have received too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include increased thirst or urination, fruity breath odor, nausea, and vomiting, or feeling like you might pass out.

What should I avoid after receiving diazoxide?

Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity after you receive diazoxide.

What are the possible side effects of diazoxide?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Tell your caregivers at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• shortness of breath, swelling in your hands or feet;
• chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling;
• confusion, seizure (convulsions);
• sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body;
• sudden headache, blurred vision, headache or pain behind your eyes;
• cough, wheezing, rapid breathing, fast heart rate, pain or swelling in one or both legs; or
• feeling like you might pass out.

Less serious side effects may include:

• chest tightness or choking feeling;
• swelling, itching, or other irritation around your IV needle;
• nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite;
• constipation, diarrhea;
• dry or watery mouth;
• sweating;
• warmth, redness, or tingly feeling under your skin;
• headache, ringing in your ears; or
• urinating more at night.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

What other drugs will affect diazoxide?

If possible before you receive diazoxide, tell your doctor if you have taken any blood pressure medication within the past 6 hours.

The following drugs can interact with diazoxide. Tell your doctor if you are using any of these:

• blood pressure medication such as hydralazine (Apresoline), methyldopa (Aldomet), reserpine, minoxidil (Loniten), and others;
• nitroglycerin;
• papaverine (Pavabid, Papacon, Para-Time, Pavagen);
• prazosin (Minopress);
• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
• a diuretic (water pill); or
• a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin), bisoprolol (Zebeta), labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran), sotalol (Betapace), timolol (Blocadren), and others.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with diazoxide. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about diazoxide.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. 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.

Copyright 1996-2003 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 1.01. Revision date: 09/24/2007.