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.

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Ropivacaine Hydrochloride 2 mg/ml solution for injection/infusion

⚠ 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 Ropivacaine hydrochloride may still be available. Do not stop your treatment — ask your pharmacist or GP what to use instead.

Active substance: Ropivacaine hydrochloride

Equivalent medicines (same active substance, strength and form)

Source: electronic medicines compendium (emc)
Official leaflet: Read the PIL on emc

What it is and what it is used for

for The active substance is ropivacaine hydrochloride. Ropivacaine Hydrochloride belongs to a group of medicines called local anaesthetics (numbing medicine). Ropivacaine Hydrochloride is used in adults and children of all ages for acute pain relief. It numbs (anaesthetises) parts of the body e.g. after surgery.

What you need to know before you take it

e Ropivacaine Hydrochloride You must not be given Ropivacaine Hydrochloride

  • If you are allergic to ropivacaine or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6). An allergic reaction may include rash, itching, difficulty of breathing or swelling of the face, lips, throat or tongue.
  • If you are allergic to any other local anaesthetics of the same class (e.g. lidocaine or bupivacaine).
  • For injection into a blood vessel to numb a specific area of your body, or into the neck of the womb to relieve pain during childbirth.
  • If you have been told that you have decreased volume of blood (hypovolaemia) If you are not sure if any of the above applies to you, talk to your doctor before you are given Ropivacaine Hydrochloride . Warnings and precautions Talk to your doctor before receiving Ropivacaine Hydrochloride. Please tell your doctor:
  • if you have heart, liver or kidney problems. Your doctor may need to adjust the dose of Ropivacaine Hydrochloride.
  • if you have ever been told that you have a rare disease of the blood pigment called "porphyria" or if anyone in your family has it. Your doctor may need to give you a different anaesthetic medicine.
  • if you are in poor health due to advanced age or other reasons.

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about any diseases or medical conditions that you have or had in the past.

Children Your doctor will take special care:

  • with newborn children as they are more susceptible to ropivacaine.
  • with children up to and including 12 years as some injections of ropivacaine given in order to numb parts of the body are not established in younger children. Your doctor will adjust the required dose for your child carefully and will monitor your child thoroughly. Other medicines and Ropivacaine Hydrochloride Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This is especially important with the following medicines, which can make the effects of ropivacaine stronger:
  • other local anaesthetics (e.g. lidocaine)
  • strong pain relievers (e.g. morphine)
  • medicines used to treat irregular heart beat (e.g. amiodarone, mexiletine). Prolonged use of ropivacaine should be avoided if you are receiving:
  • medicines used to treat depression (e.g. fluvoxamine)
  • antibiotics used to treat infections caused by bacteria (e.g. enoxacin). It may still be all right for you to receive Ropivacaine Hydrochloride. Your doctor needs to know about these medicines to be able to decide what is suitable for you. Pregnancy and breast-feeding If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before you are given this medicine. It is not known whether ropivacaine can pass into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Driving and using machines Ropivacaine Hydrochloride may make you feel sleepy and affect the speed of your reactions. After you have been given this medicine, you must not drive, operate machinery, or work in dangerous situations until the next day. Ropivacaine Hydrochloride contains sodium This medicine contains 3.3 mg sodium (main component of cooking/table salt) in each ml. This is equivalent to 0.17% of the recommended maximum daily dietary intake of sodium for an adult.

How to take it

to you This medicine will be given to you by or under the supervision of an experienced doctor. Ropivacaine Hydrochloride will be given to you as an injection or as an infusion. The part of the body where it will be used depends on why you are being given this medicine. Your doctor will give you this medicine in one of the following places:

  • The part of the body that needs to be numbed.
  • Near to the part of the body that needs to be numbed.
  • In an area away from the part of the body that needs to be numbed. This is the case if you are given an epidural injection or infusion into your middle or lower back near your spine.

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You will be watched closely by health care professionals while you are receiving Ropivacaine Hydrochloride. This medicine stops the nerves from being able to pass pain messages to the brain. It will stop you feeling pain, heat or cold in where it is used but you may still have other feelings like pressure or touch. Dosage Your doctor will decide on the dose of Ropivacaine Hydrochloride you will be given. The dosage depends on the type of pain relief that you need and other factors such as body size, age, and physical condition. If you receive more Ropivacaine Hydrochloride than you should Since this medicine will be given to you by a doctor under carefully controlled conditions, it is unlikely that you will be given too much or that you will miss a dose. Serious side effects from getting too much Ropivacaine Hydrochloride need special treatment and the doctor treating you is trained to deal with these situations. The first signs of being given too much of Ropivacaine Hydrochloride are usually as follows:

  • feeling dizzy or light-headed
  • numbness of the lips and around the mouth
  • numbness of the tongue
  • hearing problems
  • problems with your sight (vision) Your doctor will stop giving you this medicine as soon as these signs appear to reduce the risk of serious side effects. This means that if any of these happen to you, or you think you received too much of Ropivacaine Hydrochloride, tell your doctor immediately. More serious side effects from being given too much of this medicine includes problems with your speech, twitching of your muscles, tremors, trembling, fits (seizures), and loss of consciousness. In case of acute toxicity, appropriate corrective actions will be taken immediately by the healthcare professionals. If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor. 4. Possible side effects Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. All medicines including Ropivacaine Hydrochloride can rarely cause life-threatening allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis, including anaphylactic shock (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people). You should tell your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms after receiving this medicine:
  • sudden onset of rash, itching or hives;
  • swelling of the eyelids, face, lips, tongue, throat or other parts of the body;
  • breathing difficulties, sudden wheeziness, dizziness
  • a feeling of loss of consciousness. Other possible side effects: Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
  • low blood pressure (hypotension) (you may feel dizzy or light-headed)
  • feeling sick (nausea) Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
  • pins and needles
  • dizziness

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being sick (vomiting) slow or fast heart rate (bradycardia, tachycardia) high blood pressure (hypertension) high body temperature (fever) or shivering (chills) back pain headache difficulty in passing urine

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

  • anxiety
  • fainting
  • difficulty breathing
  • low body temperature (hypothermia)
  • Some symptoms can occur if the injection is accidentally given into a blood vessel or if too much Ropivacaine Hydrochloride is administered (see also "If you receive more Ropivacaine Hydrochloride than you should" above). These include convulsions, fits (seizures), feeling dizzy or light-headed, numbness of the lips and around the mouth, numbness of the tongue, hearing problems, problems with your sight (vision), problems with your speech, stiff muscles, decreased sensitivity or feeling in the skin, and trembling. Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
  • Heart attack (cardiac arrest)
  • Irregular heart beat (arrhythmia) Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
  • Jerky movements (dyskinesia)

Possible side effects

seen with other local anaesthetics which might also be caused by Ropivacaine Hydrochloride: − Damaged nerves. Rarely this may cause permanent problems. − The whole body may get numbed (anaesthetised), if too much ropivacaine is injected into the spinal fluid. Children In infants and children, the side effects are the same as in adults except for low blood pressure which happens less often in infants and children (affecting up to 1 in 10 children) and being sick which happens more often in children (affecting more than 1 in 10 children). Reporting of side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

How to store it

Ropivacaine Hydrochloride Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and label after "EXP.". The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.

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Do not store above 30 °C. Do not freeze. Your doctor or pharmacist is responsible for storing this medicine. They are also responsible for disposing of any unused medicine correctly.

Contents of the pack and other information

What Ropivacaine Hydrochloride contains The active substance is ropivacaine hydrochloride. Each 1 ml Ropivacaine Hydrochloride contains 2 mg ropivacaine hydrochloride (as ropivacaine hydrochloride monohydrate). One bottle of 200 ml contains 400 mg ropivacaine hydrochloride as ropivacaine hydrochloride monohydrate. The other ingredients are sodium chloride, hydrochloric acid (for pH adjustment),sodium hydroxide (for pH adjustment), and water for injections. What Ropivacaine Hydrochloride looks like and the contents of the pack Ropivacaine Hydrochloride is a clear, colourless solution , available as follows: –

200 ml polyethylene bottles in packs of 1 and 10

Not all pack sizes may be marketed. Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer B. Braun Melsungen AG Carl-Braun-Strasse 1 34212 Melsungen Germany This leaflet was last revised in June 2024 ————————————————————————————————————————–The following information is intended for healthcare professionals only: Method of administration Careful aspiration before and during injection is recommended to prevent intravascular injection. When a large dose is to be injected, a test dose of lidocaine with adrenaline (epinephrine) is recommended. An inadvertent intravascular injection may be recognised by a temporary increase in heart rate and an accidental intrathecal injection by signs of a spinal block. Ropivacaine hydrochloride should be injected slowly or in incremental doses, at a rate of 25-50 mg/min, while closely observing the patient's vital functions and maintaining verbal contact. If toxic symptoms occur, the injection should be stopped immediately.

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Warnings Regional anaesthetic procedures should always be performed in a properly equipped and staffed area. Equipment and medicinal products necessary for monitoring and emergency resuscitation should be immediately available. Patients receiving major blocks should be in an optimal condition and have an intravenous line inserted before the blocking procedure. The responsible clinician should take the necessary precautions to avoid intravascular injection (see SmPC section 4.2) and be appropriately trained and familiar with diagnosis and treatment of undesirable effects, systemic toxicity and other complications (see SmPC sections 4.8 and 4.9) such as inadvertent subarachnoid injection which may produce a high spinal block with apnoea and hypotension. Convulsions have occurred most often after brachial plexus block and epidural block. This is likely to be the result of either accidental intravascular injection or rapid absorption from the injection site. Major peripheral nerve blocks may imply the administration of a large volume of local anaesthetic in highly vascularised areas, often close to large vessels where there is an increased risk of intravascular injection and/or rapid systemic absorption, which can lead to high plasma concentrations. Patients with hypovolaemia due to any cause can develop sudden and severe hypotension during epidural anaesthesia, regardless of the local anaesthetic used. Handling Any unused medicinal product or waste material should be disposed of in accordance with local requirements. For single use. Discard container and any unused content after use. The medicinal product should be inspected visually before use. Only to be used if solution is clear and colourless and the container and its closure are undamaged. Shelf life after first opening of the container From a microbiological point of view, the product should be used immediately. If not used immediately, in-use storage times and conditions prior to use are the responsibility of the user. Please refer to the Summary of Product Characteristics for direction for incompatibilities and full prescribing information.

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Frequently asked questions about Ropivacaine Hydrochloride 2 mg/ml solution for injection/infusion

How do I take Ropivacaine Hydrochloride 2 mg/ml solution for injection/infusion?

Ropivacaine Hydrochloride 2 mg/ml solution for injection/infusion comes as injection containing 2mg/ml. 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 Ropivacaine Hydrochloride 2 mg/ml solution for injection/infusion?

The active substance in Ropivacaine Hydrochloride 2 mg/ml solution for injection/infusion is ropivacaine hydrochloride.

Are there equivalent medicines to Ropivacaine Hydrochloride 2 mg/ml solution for injection/infusion?

Medicines with the same active substance, strength and form include: Ropivacaine Altan 2 mg/ml solution for injection, Ropivacaine hydrochloride 2 mg/ml solution for injection. They are interchangeable only if your prescriber or pharmacist says so.

Where does this information come from?

This leaflet reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for Ropivacaine Hydrochloride 2 mg/ml solution for injection/infusion, 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 Ropivacaine Hydrochloride 2 mg/ml solution for injection/infusion 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.

Medical disclaimer: This page is for information only and does not replace advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always read the leaflet supplied with your medicine. If you are unwell, call NHS 111; in an emergency, call 999.

Medicines with the same active substance: Ropivacaine hydrochloride (1 medicine)
See every medicine containing this substance, or browse the full A–Z of active substances.
⚕For healthcare professionals — Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC)Full SmPC: dosage, interactions, contraindications, warnings+
Technical information intended for healthcare professionals (doctors and pharmacists). The Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) is the official document approved by the MHRA/EMA. It does not replace the patient leaflet or a doctor’s advice.

1. Name of the medicinal product

Ropivacaine Hydrochloride 2 mg/ml solution for injection/infusion

2. Qualitative and quantitative composition

Each 1 ml solution contains 2 mg ropivacaine hydrochloride (as ropivacaine hydrochloride monohydrate).

One bottle of 200 ml solution for injection/infusion contains 400 mg ropivacaine hydrochloride as ropivacaine hydrochloride monohydrate.

Excipients with known effect: 3.3 mg/ml sodium

For the full list of excipients, see section 6.1.

3. Pharmaceutical form

Solution for injection/infusion

Clear, colourless solution with a pH of 4 – 6 and an osmolality of 270 – 320 mOsmol/kg

4. Clinical particulars

4.1. Therapeutic indications

Acute pain management in adults and adolescents (> 12 years of age):

- Continuous epidural infusion or intermittent bolus administration during postoperative or labour pain

- Field blocks

- Continuous peripheral nerve block via a continuous infusion or intermittent bolus injections, e.g. postoperative pain management

Acute pain management in paediatrics:

- Single and continuous peripheral nerve block in toddlers (from 1 year) and children (≤12 years)

- Caudal epidural block in newborn infants (0-27 days), infants and toddlers (28 days to 23 months) and children (≤12 years) (peri- and postoperative)

- Continuous epidural infusion in newborn infants (0-27 days), infants and toddlers (28 days to 23 months) and children (≤12 years) (peri- and postoperative)

4.2. Posology and method of administration

Ropivacaine Hydrochloride should only be used by or under the supervision of clinicians experienced in regional anaesthesia.

Posology

Adults and adolescents above 12 years of age

The following table is a guide to dosage for the more commonly used blocks in the average adult.

Standard textbooks should be consulted for factors affecting specific block techniques and for individual patient requirements. The smallest dose required to produce an effective block should be used. The clinician's experience and knowledge of the patient's physical status are of importance when deciding on the dose.

Concentration of Ropivacaine Hydrochloride

Volume

Dose of Ropivacaine Hydrochloride

Onset

Duration

mg/ml

ml

mg

minutes

hours

ACUTE PAIN MANAGEMENT

Lumbar Epidural Administration

Bolus

2.0

10-20

20-40

10-15

0.5-1.5

Intermittent injections (top-up) (e.g. labour pain management)

2.0

10-15 (minimum interval 30 minutes)

20-30

Continuous infusion e.g. labour pain

2.0

6-10 ml/h

12-20 mg/h

n/a

n/a

Postoperative pain management

2.0

6-14 ml/h

12-28 mg/h

n/a

n/a)

Thoracic Epidural Administration

Continuous infusion (postoperative pain management)

2.0

6-14 ml/h

12-28 mg/h

n/a

n/a

Field Block

(e.g. minor nerve blocks and infiltration)

2.0

1-100

2-200

1-5

2-6

Peripheral nerve block (Femoral or interscalene block)

Continuous infusion or intermittent injections (e.g. postoperative pain management)

2.0

5-10 ml/h

10-20 mg/h

n/a

n/a

n/a = not applicable

When prolonged blocks are used, either through continuous infusion or through repeated bolus administration, the risks of reaching a toxic plasma concentration or inducing local neural injury must be considered. Cumulative doses of up to 675 mg ropivacaine for surgery and postoperative analgesia administered over 24 hours were well tolerated in adults, as were postoperative continuous epidural infusions at rates of up to 28 mg/hour ropivacaine for 72 hours. In a limited number of patients, higher doses of up to 800 mg/day have been administered with relatively few adverse reactions.

The maximum duration of epidural block is 3 days.

Combination with opioids:

In clinical studies an epidural infusion of 2 mg/ml ropivacaine mixed with fentanyl 1-4 μg/ml has been given for postoperative pain management for up to 72 hours. The combination of ropivacaine and fentanyl provided improved pain relief but caused opioid undesirable effects. The combination of ropivacaine and fentanyl has been investigated only for ropivacaine 2 mg/ml.

Paediatric population

The dose in the table should be regarded as a guideline for use in paediatrics. Individual variations occur. Dosing recommendations can be given for children with a bodyweight up to 25 kg. A total volume of 25 ml should not be exceeded for single caudal epidural block and the volume for epidural bolus application. For children with a higher bodyweight no data is available to give detailed recommendations. In children with a high body weight, a gradual reduction of the dosage is often necessary and should be based on the ideal body weight. Standard textbooks should be consulted for factors affecting specific block techniques and for individual patient requirements.

Concentration of Ropivacaine Hydrochloride

Volume

Dose of Ropivacaine Hydrochloride

mg/ml

ml/kg

mg/kg

ACUTE PAIN MANAGEMENT (peri- and postoperative)

Caudal Epidural Administration

Single injection

Blocks below T12, in children with a body weight up to 25 kg

 

2.0c

 

1

 

2

Continuous Epidural Infusion - In children with a body weight up to 25 kg

0 - 6 months

Bolus dosea

Infusion up to 72 hours

 

2.0

2.0

 

0.5–1

0.1 ml/kg/h

 

1–2

0.2 mg/kg/h

6 up to 12 months

Bolus dosea

Infusion up to 72 hours

 

2.0

2.0

 

0.5–1

0.2 ml/kg/h

 

1–2

0.4 mg/kg/h

≥1 year

Bolus doseb

Infusion up to 72 hours

 

2.0

2.0

 

1

0.2 ml/kg/h

 

2

0.4 mg/kg/h

a The lower doses are recommended for thoracic epidural blocks while the higher doses are recommended for lumbar or caudal epidural blocks

b Recommended for lumbar epidural blocks. It is good practice to reduce the bolus dose for thoracic epidural analgesia.

c A single caudal epidural injection of ropivacaine 2mg/ml produces adequate postoperative analgesia below T12 in the majority of patients when a dose of 2 mg/kg is used in a volume of 1 ml/kg. The volume of the caudal epidural injection may be adjusted to achieve a different distribution of sensory block, as recommended in standard textbooks. In children above 4 years of age, doses up to 3 mg/kg of a concentration of ropivacaine 3 mg/ml have been studied. However, this concentration is associated with a higher incidence of motor block.

Infants and children aged 1-12 years:

Conc.

Volume

Dose

mg/ml

ml/kg

mg/kg

ACUTE PAIN MANAGEMENT

(per- and postoperative)

Single injections for peripheral nerve block

e.g. ilioinguinal nerve block, brachial plexus block, fascia iliaca compartment block

2.0

0.5-0.75

1.0-1.5

Multiple blocks

2.0

0.5-1.5

1.0-3.0

Continuous infusion for peripheral nerve block in children 1 to 12 years.

Infusion up to 72 hours

2.0

0.1-0.3 ml/kg/h

0.2-0.6 mg/kg/h

The dose in the table should be regarded as guidelines for use in paediatrics. Individual variations occur. In children with a high body weight a gradual reduction of the dosage is often necessary and should be based on the ideal body weight. Standard textbooks should be consulted for factors affecting specific block techniques and for individual patient requirements.

The proposed ropivacaine doses for peripheral block in infants and children provide guidelines for use in children without severe disease. More conservative doses and close monitoring are recommended for children with severe disease.

Single injections for peripheral nerve block (e.g. ilioinguinal nerve block, brachial plexus block) should not exceed 2.5-3.0 mg/kg.

The use of ropivacaine in preterm newborn infants is not established.

Method of administration

For perineural and epidural use.

Careful aspiration before and during injection is recommended to prevent intravascular injection. When a large dose is to be injected a test dose of lidocaine with adrenaline (epinephrine) is recommended. An inadvertent intravascular injection may be recognised by a temporary increase in heart rate and an accidental intrathecal injection by signs of a spinal block.

Ropivacaine should be injected slowly or in incremental doses, at a rate of 25-50 mg/min, while closely observing the patient's vital functions and maintaining verbal contact. If toxic symptoms occur, the injection should be stopped immediately.

4.3. Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to ropivacaine, to other local anaesthetics of the amide type or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1

• General contraindications related to regional anaesthesia, including neuraxial anaesthesia, should be taken into account

• Intravenous regional anaesthesia (Bier's block)

• Obstetric paracervical anaesthesia

• Hypovolaemia

4.4. Special warnings and precautions for use

Regional anaesthetic procedures should always be performed in a properly equipped and staffed area. Equipment and medicinal products necessary for monitoring and emergency resuscitation should be immediately available.

Patients receiving major blocks should be in an optimal condition and have an intravenous line inserted before the blocking procedure.

The responsible clinician should take the necessary precautions to avoid intravascular injection (see section 4.2) and be appropriately trained and familiar with diagnosis and treatment of side effects, systemic toxicity and other complications (see sections 4.8 and 4.9) such as inadvertent subarachnoid injection which may produce a high spinal block with apnoea and hypotension. Convulsions have occurred most often after brachial plexus block and epidural block. This is likely to be the result of either accidental intravascular injection or rapid absorption from the injection site.

Caution is required to prevent injections in inflamed areas.

Cardiovascular risk

Patients treated with anti-arrhythmic agents class III (e.g. amiodarone) should be under close surveillance and ECG monitoring considered, since cardiac effects may be additive. There have been rare reports of cardiac arrest during the use of ropivacaine for epidural anaesthesia or peripheral nerve blockade, especially after accidental intravascular administration in elderly patients and in patients with concomitant heart disease. In some instances, resuscitation has been difficult. Should cardiac arrest occur, prolonged resuscitative efforts may be required to improve the possibility of a successful outcome.

Head and neck blocks

Certain local anaesthetic procedures, such as injections in the head and neck regions, may be associated with a higher frequency of serious adverse reactions, regardless of the local anaesthetic used.

Major peripheral nerve blocks

Major peripheral nerve blocks may imply the administration of a large volume of local anaesthetic in highly vascularised areas, often close to large vessels where there is an increased risk of intravascular injection and/or rapid systemic absorption, which can lead to high plasma concentrations.

Hypovolaemia

Patients with hypovolaemia due to any cause can develop sudden and severe hypotension during epidural anaesthesia, regardless of the local anaesthetic used.

Patients in poor general health

Patients in poor general condition due to advanced age or other compromising factors such as partial or complete heart conduction block, advanced liver disease or severe renal dysfunction require special attention, although regional anaesthesia is frequently indicated in these patients.

Patients with hepatic and renal impairment

Ropivacaine is metabolised in the liver and should therefore be used with caution in patients with severe liver disease; repeated doses may need to be reduced due to delayed elimination. Normally there is no need to modify the dose in patients with impaired renal function when used for single dose or short term treatment. Acidosis and reduced plasma protein concentration, frequently seen in patients with chronic renal failure, may increase the risk of systemic toxicity.

Acute porphyria

Ropivacaine is possibly porphyrinogenic and should only be prescribed to patients with acute porphyria when no safer alternative is available. Appropriate precautions should be taken in the case of vulnerable patients, according to standard textbooks and/or in consultation with disease area experts.

Chondrolysis

There have been post-marketing reports of chondrolysis in patients receiving post-operative intra-articular continuous infusion of local anaesthetics. The majority of reported cases of chondrolysis have involved the shoulder joint. Intra-articular continuous infusion is not an approved indication for Ropivacaine Hydrochloride. Intra-articular continuous infusion with Ropivacaine Hydrochloride should be avoided, as the efficacy and safety has not been established.

Prolonged administration

Prolonged administration of ropivacaine should be avoided in patients concomitantly treated with strong CYP1A2 inhibitors, such as fluvoxamine and enoxacin (see section 4.5).

Special warnings/precautions regarding excipients

This medicinal product contains 3.3 mg sodium per ml, equivalent to 0.17% of the WHO recommended maximum daily intake of 2 g sodium for an adult.

Paediatric population

Neonates may need special attention due to immaturity of metabolic pathways. The larger variations in plasma concentrations of ropivacaine observed in clinical trials in neonates suggest that there may be an increased risk of systemic toxicity in this age group, especially during continuous epidural infusion. The recommended doses in neonates are based on limited clinical data. When ropivacaine is used in this patient group, regular monitoring of systemic toxicity (e.g. by signs of CNS toxicity, ECG, SpO2) and local neurotoxicity (e.g. prolonged recovery) is required, which should be continued after ending infusion, due to a slow elimination in neonates.

The safety and efficacy of ropivacaine 2 mg/ml for peripheral nerve blocks has not been established for infants < 1 year.

The safety and efficacy of ropivacaine 2 mg/ml for field blocks has not been established for children ≤12 years.

4.5. Interaction with other medicinal products and other forms of interaction

Ropivacaine should be used with caution in patients receiving other local anaesthetics or agents structurally related to amide-type local anaesthetics, e.g. certain antiarrhythmics, such as lidocaine and mexiletine, since the systemic toxic effects are additive. Simultaneous use of ropivacaine with general anaesthetics or opioids may potentiate each others' (adverse) effects. Specific interaction studies with ropivacaine and anti-arrhythmic agents class III (e.g. amiodarone) have not been performed, but caution is advised (see also section 4.4).

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A2 is involved in the formation of 3-hydroxy ropivacaine, the major metabolite. In vivo the plasma clearance of ropivacaine was reduced by up to 77% during coadministration of fluvoxamine, a selective and potent CYP1A2 inhibitor.. Prolonged administration of ropivacaine should be avoided in patients concomitantly treated with strong CYP1A2 inhibitors, such as fluvoxamine and enoxacin as they can interact with ropivacaine (see section 4.4).

In vivo the plasma clearance of ropivacaine was reduced by 15% during coadministration with ketoconazole, a selective and potent inhibitor of CYP3A4. However the inhibition of this isozyme is not likely to have clinical relevance.

In vitro ropivacaine is a competitive inhibitor of CYP2D6 but does not seem to inhibit this isozyme at clinically attained plasma concentrations.

4.6. Fertility, pregnancy and lactation

Pregnancy

Apart from epidural administration for obstetrical use, there are no adequate data on the use of ropivacaine in human pregnancy. Experimental animal studies do not indicate direct or indirect harmful effects with respect to reproductive toxicity (see section 5.3).

Breast-feeding

There is insufficient information on the excretion of ropivacaine into human milk.

Fertility

No clinical data available.

4.7. Effects on ability to drive and use machines

No studies on the effects on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed. Depending on the dose, local anaesthetics may have a minor influence on mental function and co-ordination even in the absence of overt CNS toxicity and may temporarily impair locomotion and reactivity.

4.8. Undesirable effects

The adverse reaction profile for Ropivacaine Hydrochlorideis similar to those for other long acting local anaesthetics of the amide type.

Adverse reactions should be distinguished from the physiological effects of the nerve block itself e.g. a hypotension and bradycardia during spinal/epidural block.

The percentage of patients that can be expected to experience adverse reactions varies with the route of administration of ropivacaine. Systemic and localised adverse reactions of ropivacaine usually occur because of excessive dosage, rapid absorption, or inadvertent intravascular injection.

The most frequently reported adverse reactions, nausea and hypotension, are very frequent during anaesthesia and surgery in general and it is not possible to distinguish those caused by the clinical situation from those caused by the drug or the type of block.

Table of adverse reactions

Very common

(≥ 1/10)

Common

(≥ 1/100 to <1/10)

Uncommon

(≥ 1/1,000 to < 1/100)

Rare

(≥ 1/10,000 to < 1/1,000)

Very rare

(< 1/10,000)

Not known

(cannot be estimated from the available data)

Within each system organ class, the adverse reactions have been ranked under the headings of frequency, most frequent reactions first.

System organ class

Immune system disorders

Rare

allergic reactions (urticaria, angioneurotic oedema and anaphylactic reaction up to anaphylactic shock)

Psychiatric disorders

Uncommon

anxiety

Nervous system disorders

Common

paraesthesia, dizziness, headache

Uncommon

symptoms of CNS toxicity (convulsions, grand mal convulsions, seizures, light-headedness, circumoral paraesthesia, numbness of the tongue, hyperacusis, tinnitus, visual disturbances, muscle twitching, dysarthria, tremor, hypoaesthesia)*

Not known

Dyskinesia

Cardiac disorders

Common

bradycardia, tachycardia

Rare

cardiac arrest, arrhythmias

Vascular disorders

Very common

hypotension

Common

hypotension (children), hypertension

Uncommon

syncope

Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders

Uncommon

dyspnoea

Gastrointestinal disorders

Very common

nausea, vomiting (children)

Common

vomiting

Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders

Common

back pain

Renal and urinary disorders

Common

urinary retention

General disorders and

administration site conditions

Common

temperature elevation, chills

Uncommon

hypothermia

* These symptoms usually occur because of inadvertent intravascular injection, overdose or rapid absorption (see section 4.9).

Class-related adverse reactions

Neurological complications

Neuropathy and spinal cord dysfunctions (e.g. anterior spinal artery syndrome, arachnoiditis, cauda equina syndrome), which may result in rare cases of permanent sequelae, have been associated with regional anaesthesia, regardless of the local anaesthetic used.

Total spinal block

Total spinal block may occur if an epidural dose is inadvertently administered intrathecally.

Paediatric population:

Frequency, type and severity of adverse reactions in children are expected to be the same as in adults except for hypotension which happens less often in children (< 1 in 10) and vomiting which happens more often in children (> 1 in 10).

In children, early signs of local anaesthetic toxicity may be difficult to detect since they may not be able to verbally express them (see also section 4.4).

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 MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.

4.9. Overdose

Symptoms

Acute systemic toxicity

Systemic toxic reactions primarily involve the central nervous system (CNS) and the cardiovascular system. Such reactions are caused by high blood concentrations of a local anaesthetic, which may appear due to (accidental) intravascular injection, overdose or exceptionally rapid absorption from highly vascularised areas (see also section 4.4). CNS reactions are similar for all amide local anaesthetics, while cardiac reactions are more dependent on the drug, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

Accidental intravascular injections of local anaesthetics may cause immediate (within seconds to a few minutes) systemic toxic reactions. In the event of overdose, peak plasma concentrations may not be reached for one to two hours, depending on the site of the injection, and signs of toxicity may thus be delayed.

Early signs of local anaesthetic toxicity may be difficult to detect if the block is performed during general anaesthesia.

Central nervous system

Central nervous system toxicity is a graded response with symptoms and signs of escalating severity. Initially, symptoms such as visual or auditory disturbances, perioral numbness, dizziness, light-headedness, tingling and paresthesia are seen. Dysarthria, muscular rigidity and tremor are more serious and may precede the onset of generalised convulsions. These signs must not be mistaken for an underlying neurological disease. Unconsciousness and tonic-clonic (grand mal) convulsions may follow, which may last from a few seconds to several minutes. Hypoxia and hypercapnia occur rapidly during convulsions due to the increased muscular activity, together with the interference with respiration. In severe cases even apnoea may occur. The respiratory and metabolic acidosis increases and prolongs the toxic effects of local anaesthetics.

Recovery follows the redistribution of the local anaesthetic drug from the central nervous system and subsequent metabolism and excretion. Recovery may be rapid unless large amounts of the drug have been injected.

Cardiovascular toxicity

Cardiovascular toxicity indicates a more severe situation. Hypotension, bradycardia, arrhythmia and even cardiac arrest may occur as a result of high systemic concentrations of local anaesthetics. In volunteers, the intravenous infusion of ropivacaine resulted in signs of depression of conductivity and contractility.

Cardiovascular toxicity effects are generally preceded by signs of toxicity in the central nervous system, unless the patient is receiving a general anaesthetic or is heavily sedated with medicinal products such as benzodiazepines or barbiturates.

Treatment

Equipment and medicinal products necessary for monitoring and emergency resuscitation should be immediately available. If signs of acute systemic toxicity appear, injection of the local anaesthetic should be stopped immediately and CNS symptoms (convulsions, CNS depression) must promptly be treated with appropriate airway/respiratory support and the administration of anticonvulsant medicinal products.

If circulatory arrest should occur, immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be instituted. Optimal oxygenation and ventilation and circulatory support as well as treatment of acidosis are of vital importance.

If cardiovascular depression occurs (hypotension, bradycardia), appropriate treatment with intravenous fluids, vasopressor, and or inotropic agents should be considered.

Should cardiac arrest occur, a successful outcome may require prolonged resuscitative efforts.

5. Pharmacological properties

5.1. Pharmacodynamic properties

Pharmacotherapeutic group: Anaesthetics; local Anaesthetics; Amides

ATC code: N01BB09

Ropivacaine is a long-acting amide-type local anaesthetic with both anaesthetic and analgesic effects. At high doses ropivacaine produces surgical anaesthesia, while at lower doses it produces sensory block with limited and non-progressive motor block.

The mechanism is a reversible reduction of the membrane permeability of the nerve fibre to sodium ions. Consequently the depolarisation velocity is decreased and the excitable threshold increased, resulting in a local blockade of nerve impulses.

The most characteristic property of ropivacaine is the long duration of action. Onset and duration of the local anaesthetic efficacy are dependent upon the administration site and dose, but are not influenced by the presence of a vasoconstrictor (e.g. adrenaline (epinephrine)). For details concerning the onset and duration of action of ropivacaine, see section 4.2.

Healthy volunteers exposed to intravenous infusions tolerated ropivacaine well at low doses and with expected CNS symptoms at the maximum tolerated dose. The clinical experience with this drug indicates a good margin of safety when adequately used in recommended doses.

5.2. Pharmacokinetic properties

Ropivacaine has a chiral centre and is available as the pure S-(-)-enantiomer. It is highly lipid-soluble. All metabolites have a local anaesthetic effect but of considerably lower potency and shorter duration than ropivacaine.

Absorption

The plasma concentration of ropivacaine depends upon the dose, the route of administration and the vascularity of the injection site. Ropivacaine, when administered iv, follows linear pharmacokinetics and the Cmax is proportional to the dose up to 80 mg.

Ropivacaine shows complete and biphasic absorption from the epidural space with half-lives of the two phases of the order of 14 min and 4 h in adults. The slow absorption is the rate-limiting factor in the elimination of ropivacaine, which explains why the apparent elimination half-life is longer after epidural than after intravenous administration.

An increase in total plasma concentrations during continuous epidural and interscalene infusion has been observed, related to a postoperative increase of α1-acid glycoprotein.

Variations in unbound, i.e. pharmacologically active, concentration have been much less than in total plasma concentration

Since ropivacaine has an intermediate to low hepatic extraction ratio, its rate of elimination should depend on the unbound plasma concentration. A postoperative increase in AAG will decrease the unbound fraction due to increased protein binding, which will decrease the total clearance and result in an increase in total plasma concentrations, as seen in the paediatric and adult studies. The unbound clearance of ropivacaine remains unchanged as illustrated by the stable unbound concentrations during postoperative infusion. It is the unbound plasma concentration that is related to systemic pharmacodynamic effects and toxicity.

Distribution

Ropivacaine has a mean total plasma clearance in the order of 440 ml/min, a renal clearance of 1 ml/min, a volume of distribution at steady state of 47 litres and a terminal half-life of 1.8 h after iv administration. Ropivacaine has an intermediate hepatic extraction ratio of about 0.4. It is mainly bound to α1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) in plasma with an unbound fraction of about 6%.

Ropivacaine readily crosses the placenta and equilibrium in regard to unbound concentration will be rapidly reached. The degree of plasma protein binding in the foetus is less than in the mother, which results in lower total plasma concentrations in the foetus than in the mother.

Biotransformation and elimination

Ropivacaine is extensively metabolised, predominantly by aromatic hydroxylation. In total 86% of the dose is excreted in the urine after intravenous administration of which only about 1% relates to unchanged drug. The major metabolite is 3-hydroxy-ropivacaine, about 37% of which is excreted in the urine, mainly conjugated. Urinary excretion of 4-hydroxy-ropivacaine, the N-dealkylated metabolite and the 4-hydroxy-dealkylated accounts for 1 - 3%. Conjugated and unconjugated 3-hydroxy-ropivacaine shows only detectable concentrations in plasma.

A similar pattern of metabolites has been found in children above one year.

Impaired renal function has little or no influence on ropivacaine pharmacokinetics. The renal clearance of PPX is significantly correlated with creatinine clearance. A lack of correlation between total exposure, expressed as AUC, with creatinine clearance indicates that the total clearance of PPX includes a non-renal elimination in addition to renal excretion. Some patients with impaired renal function may show an increased exposure to PPX resulting from a low non-renal clearance. Due to the reduced CNS toxicity of PPX as compared to ropivacaine the clinical consequences are considered negligible in short-term treatment. Patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis have not been studied.

There is no evidence of in vivo racemisation of ropivacaine.

Elderly

Ropivacaine plasma clearance is reduced and the elimination half-life prolonged in this population. Therefore when injected continuously, the dose should be individualized (eventually decreased) to avoid accumulation of ropivacaine.

Paediatric population

The pharmacokinetics of ropivacaine was characterised in a pooled population PK analysis on data in 192 children between 0 and 12 years. Unbound ropivacaine and PPX clearance and ropivacaine unbound volume of distribution depend on both body weight and age up to the maturity of liver function, after which they depend largely on body weight. The maturation of unbound ropivacaine clearance appears to be complete by the age of 3 years, that of PPX by the age of 1 year and unbound ropivacaine volume of distribution by the age of 2 years. The PPX unbound volume of distribution only depends on body weight. As PPX has a longer half-life and a lower clearance, it may accumulate during epidural infusion.

Unbound ropivacaine clearance (Clu) for ages above 6 months has reached values within the range of those in adults. Total ropivacaine clearance (CL) values displayed in the table below are those not affected by the postoperative increase in AAG.

Estimates of pharmacokinetic parameters derived from the pooled paediatric population PK analysis

Age

BWa

Club

Vuc

CL d

t 1/2e

t 1/2ppx f

Group

kg

(l/h/kg)

(l/kg)

(l/h/kg)

(h)

(h)

Newborn

3.27

2.40

21.86

0.096

6.3

43.3

1m

4.29

3.60

25.94

0.143

5.0

25.7

6m

7.85

8.03

41.71

0.320

3.6

14.5

1y

10.15

11.32

52.60

0.451

3.2

13.6

4y

16.69

15.91

65.24

0.633

2.8

15.1

10y

32.19

13.94

65.57

0.555

3.3

17.8

a Median bodyweight for respective age taken from WHO database.

b Unbound ropivacaine clearance

c Ropivacaine unbound volume of distribution

d Total ropivacaine clearance

e Ropivacaine terminal half life

f PPX terminal half life

The simulated mean unbound maximal plasma concentration (Cumax) after a single caudal block tended to be higher in neonates and the time to Cumax (tmax) decreased with an increase in age. Simulated mean unbound plasma concentrations at the end of a 72 h continuous epidural infusion at recommended dose rates also showed higher levels in neonates as compared to those in infants and children (see also section 4.4).

Simulated mean and observed range of unbound Cumax after a single caudal block

Age group

Dose

Cumaxa

tmaxb

Cumaxc

(mg/kg)

(mg/l)

(h)

(mg/l)

0-1m

2.00

0.0582

2.00

0.05-0.08 (n=5)

1-6m

2.00

0.0375

1.50

0.02-0.09 (n=18)

6-12m

2.00

0.0283

1.00

0.01-0.05 (n=9)

1-10y

2.00

0.0221

0.50

0.01-0.05 (n=60)

a Unbound maximal plasma concentration

b Time to unbound maximal plasma concentration

c Observed and dose-normalised unbound maximal plasma concentration

At 6 months, the breakpoint for change in the recommended dose rate for continuous epidural infusion, unbound ropivacaine clearance has reached 34% and unbound PPX 71% of its mature value. The systemic exposure is higher in neonates and also somewhat higher in infants between 1 and 6 months compared to older children, which is related to the immaturity of their liver function. However, this is partly compensated for by the recommended 50% lower dose rate for continuous infusion in infants below 6 months.

Simulations on the sum of unbound plasma concentrations of ropivacaine and PPX, based on the PK parameters and their variance in the population analysis, indicate that for a single caudal block the recommended dose must be increased by a factor of 2.7 in the youngest group and a factor of 7.4 in the 1–10 year group in order for the upper prediction 90% confidence interval limit to touch the threshold for systemic toxicity. Corresponding factors for the continuous epidural infusion are 1.8 and 3.8 respectively.

5.3. Preclinical safety data

Non-clinical data reveal no special hazard for humans based on conventional studies of safety pharmacology, repeated dose toxicity, genotoxicity and toxicity to reproduction and development, other than those which can be expected on the basis of the pharmacodynamic action of high doses of ropivacaine (e.g. CNS signs, including convulsions, and cardiotoxicity).

6. Pharmaceutical particulars

6.1. List of excipients

Sodium chloride

Hydrochloric acid (for pH adjustment)

Sodium hydroxide (for pH adjustment)

Water for injections

6.2. Incompatibilities

This medicinal product must not be mixed with other medicinal products except those mentioned in section 6.6.

6.3. Shelf life

- - unopened:

3 years

- after first opening of the container:

After first opening the product must be used immediately.

– after dilution or mixture with additives

Chemical and physical stability of mixtures with the solutions listed in section 6.6 has been demonstrated for 30 days at 30 °C.

From a microbiological point of view, he product should be used immediately.

If not used immediately, in-use storage times and conditions prior to use are the responsibility of the user.

6.4. Special precautions for storage

Do not store above 30 °C.

Do not freeze.

6.5. Nature and contents of container

Low density polyethylene (LDPE) bottles

Contents 200 ml

Pack sizes: packs of 1 and 10

Not all pack sizes may be marketed.

6.6. Special precautions for disposal and other handling

Any unused medicinal product or waste material should be disposed of in accordance with local requirements.

For single use. Discard container and any unused content after use.

The medicinal product should be inspected visually before use.

Only to be used if solution is clear and colourless and the container and its closure are undamaged.

Ropivacaine Hydrochloride is chemically and physically compatible with the following active substances:

Concentration of ropivacaine: 1–2 mg/ml

Additive

Concentration

Fentanyl citrate

1-10 microgram/ml

Morphine sulfate

20-100 microgram/ml

Sufentanil citrate

0.4-4 microgram/ml

7. Marketing authorisation holder

B. Braun Melsungen AG

Carl-Braun-Strasse 1

34212 Melsungen

Germany

8. Marketing authorisation number(s)

PL 03551/0164

9. Date of first authorisation/renewal of the authorisation

12/06/2024

10. Date of revision of the text

12/06/2024

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