LoginAdenoscan
Generic Name: adenosine
Product Name: Adenoscan
Indication: What Adenoscan is used for
Adenoscan is used as an aid to doctors, to understand how your heart is working. Adenoscan is used during radionuclide imaging of your heart.
Adenoscan is given to you before the radionuclide (the agent which allows them to see your heart).
Adenoscan is only given in hospitals. It is given to you as an injection.
Your doctor, however, may prescribe Adenoscan for another purpose. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why it has been prescribed for you.
This medicine is only available with a doctor’s prescription.
This medicine is not addictive.
Action: How Adenoscan works
Adenoscan works by opening up your heart’s blood vessels to allow blood to flow more freely and can then be seen more clearly by doctors.
Adenosine is a potent vasodilator in most vascular beds, except in renal afferent arterioles and hepatic veins where it produces vasoconstriction. Adenosine is thought to exert its pharmacological effects through activation of purine receptors.
Although the exact mechanism by which adenosine receptor activation relaxes vascular smooth muscle is not known, there is evidence to support both inhibition of the slow inward calcium current reducing calcium uptake and activation of adenylate cyclase through A2 receptors in smooth muscle cells. Adenosine may also lessen vascular tone by modulating sympathetic neurotransmission.
Each 10mL vial of Adenoscan contains 30 mg of the active ingredient adenosine.
It also contains the inactive ingredients sodium chloride and sterile water.
Adenoscan does not contain gluten, sucrose, lactose, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
Dose advice: How to use Adenoscan
Before you are given it
When you must not be given it
Do not receive Adenoscan if you have:
- Asthma or any other lung disease;
- Recently had a heart transplant;
- Some other problems with your heart or heart rhythm;
- Severe low blood pressure.
Do not receive Adenoscan if you are allergic to it or any of the ingredients listed here. Some symptoms of an allergic reaction include skin rash, itching, shortness of breath or swelling of the face, lips or tongue, which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing.
Before you are given it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to:
- Any of the ingredients listed here;
- Any other medicines including:
- Theophylline or aminophylline;
- Dipyridamole;
- Carbamazepine;
- Any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you eat or drink large amounts of food or drinks containing caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea, chocolate or cola). These could affect how well Adenoscan works.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant. Like most medicines of this kind, Adenoscan is not recommended to be used during pregnancy. Your doctor or pharmacist will discuss the risks and benefits of being given it if you are pregnant.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding. It is not known whether Adenoscan passes into breast milk. Your doctor or pharmacist will discuss the risks and benefits of being given it if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following:
- A history of heart problems including problems with your blood pressure;
- A history of epilepsy or seizures;
- Asthma or any other lung disease.
If you have not told your doctor or pharmacist about any of the above, tell them before you are given Adenoscan.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food store. Some medicines may be affected by Adenoscan. These include:
- Theophylline or aminophylline, medicines used to help relieve breathing problems;
- Dipyridamole, a medicine used for people who have had a stroke;
- Carbamazepine, a medicine used to treat epilepsy and seizures.
These medicines may be affected by Adenoscan or may affect how well it works. You may need to use different amounts of your medicine, or take different medicines. Your doctor or pharmacist will advise you.
Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on medicines to be careful with or to avoid while being given Adenoscan.
How it is given
How much to be given
The dosage of Adenoscan is calculated according to your weight. The recommended dose in adults is 140 micrograms/kg/min given for six minutes (total dose will be 0.84 mg/ kg).
After three minutes of the Adenoscan infusion, you will be given the required dose of the radionuclide (imaging agent). This will also be given to you by injection.
How it is given
Adenoscan will only be given to you in hospital. Adenoscan will be given to you as an injection.
When to receive it
Do not eat or drink food or drinks containing caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea, chocolate or cola) for at least 12 hours before you receive your injection.
If you receive too much (overdose)
As Adenoscan is given to you under the supervision of a doctor, it is very unlikely that you will receive too much. However, if you experience any unexpected or worrying side effects after being given Adenoscan, tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital, if you think you have been given too much Adenoscan.
After being given it
If you have any queries about any aspect of your medicine or any questions regarding the information in this leaflet, discuss them with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Storage
Adenoscan is stored in the pharmacy or on the ward. Adenoscan is kept in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C. Not to refrigerate.
Schedule of Adenoscan
Adenoscan is a prescription only medicine (Schedule 4).
Side effects of Adenoscan
All medicines have some unwanted side effects. Sometimes they are serious, but most of the time they are not. Your doctor has weighed the risks of using this medicine against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being given Adenoscan. It helps most people with heart problems, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- Facial flushing;
- Shortness of breath;
- A feeling of tightness in the chest;
- Nausea or stomach pain;
- A dry mouth;
- A tingling sensation in your arms or legs;
- Headache;
- Dizziness and lightheadedness;
- Discomfort in the throat, neck or jaw;
- A burning sensation.
These are mild side effects of this medicine and usually short-lived.
Tell your doctor or nurse immediately if you notice any of the following:
- Irregular or slow heartbeat;
- Problems with your breathing.
These may be serious side effects of Adenoscan. You may need urgent medical attention. Serious side effects are uncommon.
If any of the following happen, stop receiving this medicine and tell your doctor immediately:
- Swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat, which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing;
- Rash, itching or hives on the skin.
These are very serious side effects. If you have them, you may have had a serious allergic reaction to Adenoscan. You may need urgent medical attention. These side effects are very rare.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell. Other side effects not listed above may occur in some consumers.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
For further information talk to your doctor.
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