INDICATIONS AND USAGE Succinylcholine chloride is indicated as an adjunct to general anesthesia, to facilitate tracheal intubation, and to provide skeletal muscle relaxation during surgery or mechanical ventilation.

WARNINGS Succinylcholine should be used only by those skilled in the management of artificial respiration and only when facilities are instantly available for tracheal intubation and for providing adequate ventilation of the patient, including the administration of oxygen under positive pressure and the elimination of carbon dioxide.

The clinician must be prepared to assist or control respiration.

To avoid distress to the patient, succinylcholine should not be administered before unconsciousness has been induced.

In emergency situations, however, it may be necessary to administer succinylcholine before unconsciousness is induced.

Succinylcholine is metabolized by plasma cholinesterase and should be used with caution, if at all, in patients known to be or suspected of being homozygous for the atypical plasma cholinesterase gene.

Anaphylaxis Severe anaphylactic reactions to neuromuscular blocking agents, including succinylcholine, have been reported.

These reactions have, in some cases, been life-threatening and fatal.

Due to the potential severity of these reactions, the necessary precautions, such as the immediate availability of appropriate emergency treatment, should be taken.

Precautions should also be taken in those individuals who have had previous anaphylactic reactions to other neuromuscular blocking agents since cross-reactivity between neuromuscular blocking agents, both depolarizing and non-depolarizing, has been reported in this class of drugs.

Risk of Death due to Medication Errors Administration of succinylcholine chloride injection results in paralysis, which may lead to respiratory arrest and death; this progression may be more likely to occur in a patient for whom it is not intended.

Confirm proper selection of intended product and avoid confusion with other injectable solutions that are present in critical care and other clinical settings.

If another healthcare provider is administering the product, ensure that the intended dose is clearly labeled and communicated.

Hyperkalemia (see BOX WARNING ) Succinylcholine should be administered with GREAT CAUTION to patients suffering from electrolyte abnormalities and those who may have massive digitalis toxicity, because in these circumstances succinylcholine may induce serious cardiac arrhythmias or cardiac arrest due to hyperkalemia.

GREAT CAUTION should be observed if succinylcholine is administered to patients during the acute phase of injury following major burns, multiple trauma, extensive denervation of skeletal muscle, or upper motor neuron injury (see CONTRAINDICATIONS ).

The risk of hyperkalemia in these patients increases over time and usually peaks at 7 to 10 days after the injury.

The risk is dependent on the extent and location of the injury.

The precise time of onset and the duration of the risk period are undetermined.

Patients with chronic abdominal infection, subarachnoid hemorrhage, or conditions causing degeneration of central and peripheral nervous systems should receive succinylcholine with GREAT CAUTION because of the potential for developing severe hyperkalemia.

Malignant Hyperthermia Succinylcholine administration has been associated with acute onset of malignant hyperthermia, a potentially fatal hypermetabolic state of skeletal muscle.

The risk of developing malignant hyperthermia following succinylcholine administration increases with the concomitant administration of volatile anesthetics.

Malignant hyperthermia frequently presents as intractable spasm of the jaw muscles (masseter spasm) which may progress to generalized rigidity, increased oxygen demand, tachycardia, tachypnea and profound hyperpyrexia.

Successful outcome depends on recognition of early signs, such as jaw muscle spasm, acidosis, or generalized rigidity to initial administration of succinylcholine for tracheal intubation, or failure of tachycardia to respond to deepening anesthesia.

Skin mottling, rising temperature and coagulopathies may occur later in the course of the hypermetabolic process.

Recognition of the syndrome is a signal for discontinuance of anesthesia, attention to increased oxygen consumption, correction of acidosis, support of circulation, assurance of adequate urinary output and institution of measures to control rising temperature.

Intravenous dantrolene sodium is recommended as an adjunct to supportive measures in the management of this problem.

Consult literature references and the dantrolene prescribing information for additional information about the management of malignant hyperthermic crisis.

Continuous monitoring of temperature and expired CO 2 is recommended as an aid to early recognition of malignant hyperthermia.

Other In both adults and pediatric patients the incidence of bradycardia, which may progress to asystole, is higher following a second dose of succinylcholine.

The incidence and severity of bradycardia is higher in pediatric patients than adults.

Whereas bradycardia is common in pediatric patients after an initial dose of 1.5 mg/kg, bradycardia is seen in adults only after repeated exposure.

Pretreatment with anticholinergic agents (e.g., atropine) may reduce the occurrence of bradyarrhythmias.

Succinylcholine causes an increase in intraocular pressure.

It should not be used in instances in which an increase in intraocular pressure is undesirable (e.g., narrow angle glaucoma, penetrating eye injury) unless the potential benefit of its use outweighs the potential risk.

Succinylcholine is acidic (pH = 3.5) and should not be mixed with alkaline solutions having a pH greater than 8.5 (e.g., barbiturate solutions).

ADVERSE REACTIONS Adverse reactions to succinylcholine consist primarily of an extension of its pharmacological actions.

Succinylcholine causes profound muscle relaxation resulting in respiratory depression to the point of apnea; this effect may be prolonged.

Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, may occur in rare instances.

The following additional adverse reactions have been reported: cardiac arrest, malignant hyperthermia, arrhythmias, bradycardia, tachycardia, hypertension, hypotension, hyperkalemia, prolonged respiratory depression or apnea, increased intraocular pressure, muscle fasciculation, jaw rigidity, postoperative muscle pain, rhabdomyolysis with possible myoglobinuric acute renal failure, excessive salivation, and rash.

There have been post-marketing reports of severe allergic reactions (anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions) associated with use of neuromuscular blocking agents, including succinylcholine.

These reactions, in some cases, have been life threatening and fatal.

Because these reactions were reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not possible to reliably estimate their frequency (see WARNINGS and PRECAUTIONS ).