Safety
Promethazine Hydrochloride Injection
Audience: All healthcare professionals
[Posted 09/16/2009] FDA notified healthcare professionals that a Boxed Warning is being added to the prescribing information for Promethazine Hydrochloride products, describing the risks of severe tissue injury, including gangrene, requiring amputation following intravenous administration of promethazine. The Boxed Warning will remind practitioners that due to the risks of intravenous injection, the preferred route of administration is deep intramuscular injection and that subcutaneous injection is contraindicated.
Perivascular extravasation, unintentional intra-arterial injection and intraneuronal or perineuronal infiltration of the drug may result in irritation and tissue damage. Healthcare professionals should be alert for signs and symptoms of potential tissue injury including burning or pain at the site of injection, phlebitis, swelling, and blistering.
[09/16/2009 - Information for Healthcare Professionals - FDA]
[09/16/2009 - News Release - FDA]