Pharmacy Guide
Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Pharmacy Guide
Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Ephedrine Hydrochloride 30mg Tablets
⚠ This medicine appears to have been discontinued
The electronic medicines compendium (emc) no longer publishes a Summary of Product Characteristics for this product, which usually means it is no longer marketed in the UK. The patient leaflet below is kept for reference, but the product may not be available.
If you were prescribed this medicine, other products containing Ephedrine hydrochloride may still be available. Do not stop your treatment — ask your pharmacist or GP what to use instead.
What you need to know before you take it
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Contents of the pack and other information
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Frequently asked questions about Ephedrine Hydrochloride 30mg Tablets
How do I take Ephedrine Hydrochloride 30mg Tablets?
Ephedrine Hydrochloride 30mg Tablets comes as tablet containing 30mg. Always follow the dose your doctor or pharmacist has given you, and read the leaflet that comes with the medicine.
What is the active substance in Ephedrine Hydrochloride 30mg Tablets?
The active substance in Ephedrine Hydrochloride 30mg Tablets is ephedrine hydrochloride.
Where does this information come from?
This leaflet reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for Ephedrine Hydrochloride 30mg Tablets, as published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). The version printed inside your medicine’s packaging is the one that applies to you.
Can I get Ephedrine Hydrochloride 30mg Tablets without a prescription?
Whether a medicine is available over the counter or on prescription only depends on its licence. Check the leaflet, or ask your pharmacist — they can tell you straight away.
About this leaflet
The text above reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for this medicine, restructured for easier reading.
- Source: electronic medicines compendium (emc), Datapharm
- Active substance: ephedrine hydrochloride
- Official document: view the original leaflet on emc →
⚕For healthcare professionals — Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC)Full SmPC: dosage, interactions, contraindications, warnings+
4.1. Therapeutic indications
Ephedrine tablets are indicated for the treatment or prevention of attacks of bronchospasm in asthma.
4.2. Posology and method of administration
Posology
Adults
15 – 60mg three times daily
Children
under 1 year
1 – 5 years
6 – 12 years
not recommended
15mg three times daily
30mg three times daily
Elderly
Dosage should be substantially reduced. Initial therapy should be 50% of adult dose.
Method of administration
For oral use.
4.3. Contraindications
• Hypersensitivity to the active substance or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1
• Ischaemic heart disease
• Hypertension
• Thyrotoxicosis
• Prostatic hypertrophy
Ephedrine has positive inotropic and chronotropic effects on the heart and its use should be avoided in patients with ischaemic heart disease.
Ephedrine increases blood pressure in humans. Over the counter acquisition of sympathomimetics should always be considered in hypertensive patients whose blood pressure control has suddenly deteriorated.
Patients with hyperthyroidism may be susceptible to the effects of ephedrine. Ephedrine may precipitate acute urinary retention in patients with prostatic hypertrophy.
4.4. Special warnings and precautions for use
Ephedrine should be given with care to patients with hyperthyroidism, diabetes mellitus, angle-closure glaucoma and renal impairment.
Ephedrine has potentially life threatening effects in its acute cardiovascular and central stimulant effects.
Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, total lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption should not take this medicine.
4.5. Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction
Other adrenoceptor stimulants: Concurrent use of ephedrine with theophylline may result in increased nausea, nervousness, and insomnia.
Anaesthetics: There may be an increased risk of arrhythmias when used with volatile liquid anaesthetics.
Antidepressants: Ephedrine should not be given to patients who are being treated with monoamine oxidase inhibitors as they may cause hypertensive crisis with marked headache, severe hypertension and subarachnoid haemorrhage. Noradrenaline is displaced by ephedrine with the release of large amounts of catecholamine. The interaction may occur up to two weeks after stopping MAOI therapy. There may be an increased risk of arrhythmias when ephedrine is used with tricyclic antidepressants.
Antihypertensives: Loss of blood pressure control has been detected in hypertensive patients undergoing concurrent therapy with ephedrine and adrenergic neurone blocking drugs and may also occur with other antihypertensives.
Antimigraine drugs: Enhanced vasoconstriction and pressor effects with ergotamine or methysergide; concurrent use of ergotamine not recommended (risk of gangrene).
Cardiac glycosides: Increased risk of arrhythmias in patients receiving ephedrine and cardiac glycosides.
Corticosteroids: Ephedrine has been shown to increase the clearance and prolong the half-life of dexamethasone in asthmatic patients.
Oxytocin: Increased risk of vasoconstrictor or pressor effects in patients receiving oxytocin and ephedrine
Urinary acidifiers/alkalinisers: Effects of ephedrine may be reduced by acidification and increased by alkalinization of the urine.
4.6. Fertility, pregnancy and lactation
Pregnancy
The use of ephedrine in pregnancy should be avoided as ephedrine crossed the placenta and this has been associated with an increase in foetal heart rate and beat to beat variability.
Breast-feeding
Ephedrine is excreted in breast milk and therefore its use during lactation should be avoided. Irritability and disturbed sleep patterns have been reported in breast fed infants.
4.7. Effects on ability to drive and use machines
Ephedrine tablets have no influence on the ability to drive and use machines.
4.8. Undesirable effects
The most common side-effects of ephedrine are tachycardia, anxiety, nausea, restlessness and insomnia. Tremor, dry mouth, impaired circulation to the extremities, hypertension, headache and cardiac arrhythmias may occur. Tolerance with dependence has been reported with prolonged administration.
Myocardial infarction has occurred very rarely in patients taking ephedrine or pseudoephedrine.
Paediatric Population
Ephedrine may act as stimulant in children with nocturnal enuresis and cause sleeplessness. It may have sedative effects in some children.
Elderly
The elderly are more sensitive to the cardiovascular effects of ephedrine.
Reporting of suspected adverse reactions
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for the MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
4.9. Overdose
a) Symptoms
The symptoms of overdose are normally seen as nausea, vomiting, hypertension, fever, palpitations, tachycardia, restlessness, respiratory depression and convulsions. Paranoid psychosis, delusions and hallucinations may also follow ephedrine overdosage.
b) Treatment
In severe overdosage, the stomach should be emptied by emesis and lavage. Management is by supportive symptomatic therapy.
🇷🇴 Known in Romania as
Medicines sold in Romania with the same active substance: Cunoscut în România ca
- EFEDRINA ARENA 50 mg prescriptionEPHEDRINI HYDROCHLORIDUM · taken by mouth
Same active substance. The strength, the form and whether you need a prescription can differ. Always ask a pharmacist before you switch. Romanian medicines in the UK →
🇵🇱 Known in Poland as
Medicines sold in Poland with the same active substance: W Polsce znany jako
- Rubital CompositumEphedrini hydrochloridum · taken by mouth
- Syrop prawoślazowy złożonyEphedrini hydrochloridum · taken by mouth
- CaniphedrinEphedrini hydrochloridum · taken by mouth
Same active substance. The strength, the form and whether you need a prescription can differ. Always ask a pharmacist before you switch. Polish medicines in the UK →
💬 Ask about this leaflet
Ask anything about Ephedrine Hydrochloride 30mg Tablets. The assistant answers only from this leaflet — if the leaflet does not cover it, it will say so. It does not give medical advice.
Answers come from the patient leaflet published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). They are not medical advice. Ask a pharmacist or your GP if you are unsure. For urgent help call NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency.