FDA

Duraclon

Approved 2 Oct 1996InjectionInjectable

The FDA lists this product in 2 strengths and forms.

Indications

Duraclon is indicated in combination with opiates for the treatment of severe pain in cancer patients that is not adequately relieved by opioid analgesics alone. Epidural clonidine is more likely to be effective in patients with neuropathic pain than somatic or visceral pain (see Clinical Trials ). The safety of this drug product has only been established in a highly selected group of cancer patients, and only after an adequate trial of opioid analgesia.

Other use is of unproven safety and is not recommended. In a rare patient, the potential benefits may outweigh the known risks (see WARNINGS ).

Contraindications

Duraclon is contraindicated in patients with a history of sensitization or allergic reactions to clonidine. Epidural administration is contraindicated in the presence of an injection site infection, in patients on anticoagulant therapy, and in those with a bleeding diathesis. Administration of Duraclon above the C4 dermatome is contraindicated since there are no adequate safety data to support such use (see WARNINGS ).

Warnings and precautions

Use in Postoperative or Obstetrical Analgesia Duraclon (epidural clonidine) is not recommended for obstetrical, post-partum, or peri-operative pain management. The risk of hemodynamic instability, especially hypotension and bradycardia, from epidural clonidine may be unacceptable in these patients. Hypotension Because severe hypotension may follow the administration of clonidine, it should be used with caution in all patients.

It is not recommended in most patients with severe cardiovascular disease or in those who are otherwise hemodynamically unstable. The benefit of its administration in these patients should be carefully balanced against the potential risks resulting from hypotension. Vital signs should be monitored frequently, especially during the first few days of epidural clonidine therapy. When clonidine is infused into the upper thoracic spinal segments, more pronounced decreases in the blood pressure may be seen.

Clonidine decreases sympathetic outflow from the central nervous system resulting in decreases in peripheral resistance, renal vascular resistance, heart rate, and blood pressure. However, in the absence of profound hypotension, renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate remain essentially unchanged. In the pivotal double-blind, randomized study of cancer patients, where 38 subjects were administered epidural Duraclon at 30 mcg/hr in addition to epidural morphine, hypotension occurred in 45% of subjects.

Indications

Other use is of unproven safety and is not recommended. In a rare patient, the potential benefits may outweigh the known risks (see WARNINGS ).

Contraindications

Warnings and precautions

Adverse reactions

Adverse reactions seen during continuous epidural clonidine infusion are dose-dependent and typical for a compound of this pharmacologic class. The adverse events most frequently reported in the pivotal controlled clinical trial of continuous epidural clonidine administration consisted of hypotension, postural hypotension, decreased heart rate, rebound hypertension, dry mouth, nausea, confusion, dizziness, somnolence, and fever.

Hypotension is the adverse event that most frequently requires treatment. The hypotension is usually responsive to intravenous fluids and, if necessary, appropriate parenterally-administered pressor agents. Hypotension was observed more frequently in women and in lower weight patients, but no dose-related response was established. Implantable epidural catheters are associated with a risk of catheter-related infections, including meningitis and/or epidural abscess.

The risk depends on the clinical situation and the type of catheter used, but catheter related infections occur in 5%-20% of patients, depending on the kind of catheter used, catheter placement technique, quality of catheter care, and length of catheter placement. The inadvertent intrathecal administration of clonidine has not been associated with a significantly increased risk of adverse events, but there are inadequate safety and efficacy data to support the use of intrathecal clonidine.

Epidural clonidine was compared to placebo in a two week double-blind study of 85 terminal cancer patients with intractable pain receiving epidural morphine. The following adverse events were reported in two or more patients and may be related to administration of either Duraclon or morphine. Incidence of Adverse Events in the Two-Week Trial Adverse Events Clonidine N = 38 n (%) Placebo N = 47 n (%) Total Number of Patients Who Experienced at Least One Adverse Event 37 (97.4) 38 (80.5) Hypotension 17 (44.8) 5 (10.6) Postural Hypotension 12 (31.6) 0 (0) Dry Mouth 5 (13.2) 4 (8.5) Nausea 5 (13.2) 10 (21.3) Somnolence 5 (13.2) 10 (21.3) Dizziness 5 (13.2) 2 (4.3) Confusion 5 (13.2) 5 (10.6) Vomiting 4 (10.5) 7 (14.9) Nausea/Vomiting 3 (7.9) 1 (2.1) Sweating 2 (5.3) 0 (0) Chest Pain 2 (5.3) 0 (0) Hallucination 2 (5.3) 1 (2.1) Tinnitus 2 (5.3) 0 (0) Constipation 1 (2.6) 2 (4.3) Tachycardia 1 (2.6) 2 (4.3) Hypoventilation 1 (2.6) 2 (4.3) An open label long-term extension of the above trial was performed.

Thirty-two subjects received epidural clonidine and morphine for up to 94 weeks with a median dosing period of 10 weeks. The following adverse events (and percent incidence) were reported: hypotension/postural hypotension (47%); nausea (13%); anxiety/confusion (38%); somnolence (25%); urinary tract infection (22%); constipation, dyspnea, fever, infection (6% each); asthenia, hyperaesthesia, pain, skin ulcer, and vomiting (5% each).

Eighteen percent of subjects discontinued this study as a result of catheter-related problems (infections, accidental dislodging, etc.), and one subject developed meningitis, possibly as a result of a catheter-related infection. In this study, rebound hypertension was not assessed, and ECG and laboratory data were not systematically sought. The following adverse reactions have also been reported with the use of any dosage form of clonidine.

In many cases patients were receiving concomitant medication and a causal relationship has not been established: Body as a Whole: Weakness, 10%; fatigue, 4%; headache and withdrawal syndrome, each 1%. Also reported were pallor, a weakly positive Coomb’s test, and increased sensitivity to alcohol. Cardiovascular: Palpitations and tachycardia, and bradycardia, each 0.5%. Syncope, Raynaud’s phenomenon, congestive heart failure, and electrocardiographic abnormalities (i.e., sinus node arrest, functional bradycardia, high degree AV block) have been reported rarely.

Rare cases of sinus bradycardia and atrioventricular block have been reported, both with and without the use of concomitant digitalis. Central Nervous System: Nervousness and agitation, 3%; mental depression, 1%; insomnia, 0.5%. Cerebrovascular accidents, other behavioral changes, vivid dreams or nightmares, restlessness, and delirium have been reported rarely. Dermatological: Rash, 1%; pruritus, 0.7%; hives, angioneurotic edema and urticaria, 0.5%; alopecia, 0.2%.

Gastrointestinal: Anorexia and malaise, each 1%; mild transient abnormalities in liver function tests, 1%; hepatitis, parotitis, ileus and pseudo obstruction, and abdominal pain, rarely. Genitourinary: Decreased sexual activity, impotence, and libido, 3%; nocturia, about 1%; difficulty in micturition, about 0.2%; urinary retention, about 0.1%. Hematologic: Thrombocytopenia, rarely. Metabolic: Weight gain, 0.1%; gynecomastia, 1%; transient elevation of glucose or serum phosphatase, rarely.

Musculoskeletal: Muscle or joint pain, about 0.6%; leg cramps, 0.3%. Oro-otolaryngeal: Dryness of the nasal mucosa was rarely reported. Ophthalmological: Dryness of the eyes, burning of the eyes and blurred vision were rarely reported.

Duraclon

Indications

Contraindications

Warnings and precautions

Two medicines in one question?

Duraclon

Indications

Contraindications

Warnings and precautions

Two medicines in one question?

Interactions

Adverse reactions

Composition

Strengths and forms

Official product information

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