Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) summary
The
full CMI on the next page has more details. If you are worried about using this medicine,
speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
1. Why am I using VECURE?
VECURE contains the active ingredient vecuronium bromide. VECURE is used to relax
your muscles during an operation as part of the general anaesthetic.
2. What should I know before I use VECURE?
Do not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to vecuronium bromide or any
of the ingredients listed at the end of the CMI.
Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions, take any other medicines,
or are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Some medicines may interfere with VECURE and affect how it works.
4. How is VECURE given?
VECURE will be given by a doctor. It will not be given to you until you are asleep
from the anaesthetic.
It will be injected into a vein before and during the operation.
5. What should I know after I am given VECURE?
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Driving or using machines
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Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how VECURE
affects you.
Your doctor will tell you when it is safe to drive and operate potentially dangerous
machinery after you have been given VECURE
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Looking after your medicine
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VECURE is stored in the hospital. It must be kept below 25°C and protected from light.
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6. Are there any side effects?
Less serious side effects: flushing, pain or irritation at injection site, red skin rash or itchy rash.
Serious side effects: fast heart beat, dizziness, light-headedness (low blood pressure), muscle weakness
or paralysis, aching muscles or weakness, not caused by exercise, wheezing, coughing,
difficulty breathing, rapid, shallow breathing, cold, clammy skin, a rapid, weak pulse,
dizziness, weakness and fainting, swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat
which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing, sudden signs of allergy such
as rash, itching, hives on the skin, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts
of the body, shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble breathing.
Active ingredient:
vecuronium bromide
Full Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)
This leaflet provides important information about using VECURE. You should also speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you would like further information
or if you have any concerns or questions about using VECURE.
Where to find information in this leaflet:
1. Why am I using VECURE?
VECURE contains the active ingredient vecuronium bromide. VECURE belongs to a group of medicines called muscle relaxants.
Muscle relaxants are used during an operation as part of the general anaesthetic.
When you have an operation, your muscles must be completely relaxed. This makes it
easier for the surgeon to perform the operation.
Normally the nerves send messages to the muscles by impulses. VECURE acts by blocking
these impulses so the muscles are relaxed. Because the muscles needed for breathing
also become relaxed you will need help with your breathing (artificial respiration)
during and after your operation until you can breathe on your own. During the operation
the effect of the muscle relaxants is constantly checked and if necessary some more
drug is given.
At the end of the operation the effects of VECURE are allowed to wear off and you
can start breathing on your own. Sometimes another drug is given to help speed this
up. VECURE can also be used in Intensive Care to keep your muscles relaxed.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about this medicine.
VECURE is not addictive.
2. What should I know before I am given VECURE?
Warnings
You must not be given VECURE if:
you are allergic to vecuronium bromide, or any of the ingredients listed at the end
of this leaflet.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
rash, itching or hives on the skin.
Always check the ingredients to make sure you can use this medicine.
If you are going to have an operation it is important that you discuss the following
points with your doctor, since it can influence the way VECURE is given to you.
Tell your doctor if you:
have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
an allergy to muscle relaxants
kidney disease
liver or gall bladder disease
heart disease
diseases affecting nerves or muscles
oedema (local or generalised swelling due to fluid).
Certain medical conditions may affect how VECURE works:
low potassium levels in the blood
high magnesium levels in the blood
low calcium levels in the blood
low levels of protein in the blood
dehydration
too much acid in the blood
too much carbon dioxide in the blood
general ill-health
overweight
burns.
If you are suffering from any of these conditions your doctor will take this into
account when deciding the correct dose for you.
have any allergies to any other medicines, food, preservatives or dyes
take any medicines for any other condition.
During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important
you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information
under Section
6. Are there any side effects?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of using VECURE if you are pregnant
or breast-feeding.
Use in infants
VECURE should not be given to a child under the age of one month.
The safety of administration of VECURE has not been established in children under
the age of one month.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you are
given VECURE.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any
medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy,
supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may be affected by VECURE, or affect how well it works. These include:
anaesthetics, medicines to help you sleep during surgery
long term concurrent use of corticosteroids (anti-inflammatory medicines) and VECURE
in the Intensive Care Unit
antibiotics
lithium, a medicine used to treat bipolar disorder
medicines used to treat heart disease or high blood pressure (quinidine, calcium channel
blockers, beta blockers and diuretics (fluid tablets))
quinine, medicine used to treat malaria
magnesium salts
lidocaine, a local anaesthetic
other muscle relaxants
phenytoin and carbamazepine, medicines used to treat epilepsy
cimetidine, a medicine used to treat reflux and stomach ulcers.
You may need to use different amounts of your medicines or take different medicines.
Your doctor will advise you.
If you are taking magnesium sulfate to treat toxaemia of pregnancy (preeclampsia),
tell your doctor as the dose of VECURE may need to be reduced.
Your doctor will have a complete list of medicines that may cause problems when used
with VECURE.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about what medicines, vitamins
or supplements you are taking and if these affect VECURE.
4. How is VECURE given?
VECURE will be given by a doctor. It will not be given to you until you are asleep
from the anaesthetic.
It will be injected into a vein before and during the operation. It will be given
as a single injection or continuous infusion.
The usual dose is 0.1 mg vecuronium bromide per kg body weight and the effect lasts
20-40 minutes. During the operation your doctor will check whether VECURE is still
working. You may be given additional doses if they are needed.
If you are given too much VECURE
As VECURE doses are carefully worked out and are given by a doctor experienced in
its use, it is unlikely that you will be given too much medicine. However, if this
does happen, your doctor will make sure that you continue breathing artificially until
you can breathe on your own again. Your doctor may speed-up your recovery by giving
you a drug that reverses the effects of VECURE.
5. What should I know after I am given VECURE?
Driving or using machines
Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how VECURE
affects you.
Your doctor will tell you when it is safe to drive and operate potentially dangerous
machinery after you have been given VECURE.
Looking after your medicine
VECURE is stored in the hospital. It must be kept below 25°C and protected from light.
6. Are there any side effects?
All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience any side effects, most of
them are minor and temporary. However, some side effects may need medical attention.
See the information below and, if you need to, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you
have any further questions about side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any
of them.
Less serious side effects
Serious side effects
Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making
you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people.
Reporting side effects
After you have received medical advice for any side effects you experience, you can
report side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at
www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems . By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of
this medicine.
Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop
taking any of your medicines.
7. Product details
This medicine is only available with a doctor's prescription.
What VECURE contains
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Active ingredient
(main ingredient)
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vecuronium bromide
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Other ingredients
(inactive ingredients)
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citric acid
dibasic sodium phosphate
sodium hydroxide
phosphoric acid
mannitol
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Potential allergens
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gluten from maize and/or wheat
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Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients.
What VECURE looks like
The powder for injection is a white lyphoilised cake. This is dissolved with sterile
water for injection immediately before use. (AUST R 165350).
VECURE comes in packs of 10 vials without solvent.
Who distributes VECURE
Alphapharm Pty Ltd trading as Viatris
Level 1, 30 The Bond
30-34 Hickson Road
Millers Point NSW 2000
Phone: 1800 274 276
This leaflet was prepared in December 2024.
VECURE_cmi\Dec24/00