CHLORAL HYDRATE

(KLOR al HY drayt) Brand: Somnote

What is the most significant information I must know about chloral hydrate?

• Till taking chloral hydrate, speak your doctor if you are using a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin). If you are using a blood thinner, you may not be able to take chloral hydrate, or you may need dosage adjustments or particular trials during treatment.

• Chloral hydrate must be given only for a short time, such as 2 to 7 days in a row.

• Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects: uneven heartbeats, shallow breathing, feeling light-headed, fainting, weakness, lack of coordination, or a red, blistering, peeling skin rash.

• Avoid drinking alcohol, which can magnify some of the side effects of chloral hydrate.

• Avoid using another medicines that create you sleepy (such as cool medication, pain medicine, muscle relaxers, and medication for seizures, depression or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by chloral hydrate.

• Chloral hydrate can reason side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

• This medicine may be habit-forming. You may have severe or life-threatening withdrawal symptoms when you stop using chloral hydrate after using it for 2 weeks or longer. Do not stop using this medicine suddenly without first talking to your doctor. You may need to gradually reduce the dose.

What is chloral hydrate?

• Chloral hydrate is a hypnotic and a sedative medicine that slows the activity of your central nervous system. Chloral hydrate has both fast-acting and long-lasting sedative effects.

• Chloral hydrate is for short-term use as a sedative or sleep medication. It is sometimes given till a surgery to help you relax.

• Chloral hydrate may also be used for purposes another than those listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my health care provider till taking chloral hydrate?

• Do not use this medicine if you have severe kidney or liver disease.

• Till taking chloral hydrate, speak your doctor if you have:

· heart malady or heart rhythm problems;

· ulcer, colitis, or another stomach disorders;

· adenoids, sleep apnea, or another breathing disorders;

· porphyria;

· depression or mental illness;

· thoughts of suicide; or

· a history of drug abuse or dependence.

• If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use chloral hydrate, or you may need a dosage adjustment or particular trials during treatment.

• FDA pregnancy category C. This medicine may be deleterious to an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

• Chloral hydrate can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing child. Do not use this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

• Older adults may be more sensitive to the sedative effects of chloral hydrate.

How must I take chloral hydrate?

• Take this medicine exactly as it was predesigned for you. Do not take the medicine in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor.

• Your doctor may occasionally change your doze to create certain you get the excellent results from this medication.

• Chloral hydrate must be given only for a short time, such as 2 to 7 days in a row.

• Take every doze with a full glass of water.

• Measure the liquid form of chloral hydrate with a particular dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist where you can get one. Dilute the liquid medication with water, fruit juice, milk, or ginger ale to create it easier on your stomach.

• If you take chloral hydrate as a sleep help, take it just till bedtime.

• If you take this medicine as a sedative, take it after meals as directed by your doctor.

• Do not crush, chew, or open a chloral hydrate capsule. Swallow the pill whole.

• This medicine can reason you to have unusual results with determined medical trials. Speak any doctor who treats you that you are using chloral hydrate.

• Do not stop using chloral hydrate without first talking to your doctor. You may need to use smaller and smaller till you stop the medicine completely.

• Store this medicine at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. If it is nearly time for your following doze, skip the missed doze and take the medication at the following regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention if you think you have used too many of this medication. Symptoms of a chloral hydrate overdose may include extreme drowsiness, nausea, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds, shallow breathing, fainting, uneven heartbeats, cool feeling, muscle weakness, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

What must I avoid while taking chloral hydrate?

• Avoid drinking alcohol, which can magnify some of the side effects of chloral hydrate.

• Chloral hydrate can reason side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

What are the possible side effects of chloral hydrate?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

· uneven heartbeats;

· feeling light-headed, fainting;

· shallow breathing;

· weakness, lack of coordination; or

· a red, blistering, peeling skin rash.

• Another smaller serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:

· drowsiness, deep sleep;

· headache, or hangover feeling;

· nausea, vomiting, indigestion, gas, stomach pain;

· redness or drooping of your eyelids;

· excitement or confusion;

· mild itching or skin rash; or

· unpleasant taste in your mouth;

• Side effects another than those listed here may also occur. Conversation to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect chloral hydrate?

• There may be another drugs not listed that can affect chloral hydrate. Speak your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal commodity, and drugs predesigned by another doctors. Do not start using a new medicine without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist has more information about chloral hydrate written for health professionals that you may read.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

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