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Acetylcysteine

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Overview

What is Acetylcysteine?

Acetylcysteine injection is an intravenous antidote for the treatment of acetaminophen overdose. Acetylcysteine is the nonproprietary name for the N-acetyl derivative of the naturally occurring amino acid, L-cysteine (N-acetyl-L-cysteine). The compound is a white crystalline powder, which melts in the range of 104° to 110°C and has a very slight odor. The molecular formula of the compound is CHNOS, and its molecular weight is 163.2. Acetylcysteine has the following structural formula: Acetylcysteine injection is supplied as a sterile solution in vials containing 20% w/v (200 mg/mL) acetylcysteine USP. The pH of the solution ranges from 6.0 to 7.5. Acetylcysteine injection contains the following inactive ingredients: 0.5 mg/mL edetate disodium, sodium hydroxide (used for pH adjustment), and Water for Injection, USP.



What does Acetylcysteine look like?



What are the available doses of Acetylcysteine?

Each single-dose vial contains 6 g/30 mL (200 mg/mL), acetylcysteine injection

What should I talk to my health care provider before I take Acetylcysteine?

Pregnancy: This drug should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed Nursing Mothers: Unknown if drug is excreted in human milk Pediatric Use: See dose adjustment for patients less than 40 kg

How should I use Acetylcysteine?

Acetylcysteine injection is an antidote for acetaminophen overdose indicated to prevent or lessen hepatic injury after ingestion of a potentially hepatotoxic quantity of acetaminophen. Overdose incidences are divided into two types; Acute Ingestion or Repeated Supratherapeutic Ingestion (RSI). [ and]. On admission for suspected acute acetaminophen overdose, a serum blood sample should be drawn at least 4 hours after ingestion to determine the acetaminophen level and will serve as a basis for determining the need for treatment with acetylcysteine. If the patient presents after 4 hours post-ingestion, the serum acetaminophen sample should be determined immediately. Acetylcysteine injection should be administered within 8 hours from acetaminophen ingestion for maximal protection against hepatic injury for patients whose serum acetaminophen levels fall above the “possible” toxicity line on the Rumack-Matthew nomogram (line connecting 150 mcg/mL at 4 hours with 37.5 mcg/mL at 12 hours); []. If the time of ingestion is unknown, or the serum acetaminophen level is not available, cannot be interpreted, or is not available within the 8 hour time interval from acetaminophen ingestion, acetylcysteine injection should be administered immediately if 24 hours or less have elapsed from the reported time of ingestion of an overdose of acetaminophen, regardless of the quantity reported to have been ingested. The aspartate aminotransferase (AST, SGOT), alanine aminotranferase (ALT, SGPT), bilirubin, prothrombin time, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), blood glucose, and electrolytes also should be determined in order to monitor hepatic and renal function and electrolyte and fluid balance. The critical ingestion-treatment interval for maximal protection against severe hepatic injury is between 0 to 8 hours. Efficacy diminishes progressively after 8 hours and treatment initiation between 15 and 24 hours post-ingestion of acetaminophen yields limited efficacy. However, it does not appear to worsen the condition of patients and it should not be withheld, since the reported time of ingestion may not be correct.

The total dose of acetylcysteine injection is 300 mg/kg given as 3 separate doses and administered over a total of 21 hours. Please refer to the guidelines below for dose preparation based upon patient weight. The total volume administered should be adjusted for patients less than 40 kg and for those requiring fluid restriction (see Tables 1 and 2).


What interacts with Acetylcysteine?

Sorry No Records found


What are the warnings of Acetylcysteine?

Sorry No Records found


What are the precautions of Acetylcysteine?

Sorry No Records found


What are the side effects of Acetylcysteine?

Sorry No records found


What should I look out for while using Acetylcysteine?

Acetylcysteine injection is contraindicated in patients with previous anaphylactoid reactions to acetylcysteine.


What might happen if I take too much Acetylcysteine?

Single intravenous doses of acetylcysteine at 1,000 mg/kg in mice, 2,445 mg/kg in rats, 1,500 mg/kg in guinea pigs, 1,200 mg/kg in rabbits and 500 mg/kg in dogs were lethal. Symptoms of acute toxicity were ataxia, hypoactivity, labored respiration, cyanosis, loss of righting reflex and convulsions.


How should I store and handle Acetylcysteine?

Unopened vials of gemcitabine for injection, USP are stable until the expiration date indicated on the package when stored at controlled room temperature 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) and that allows for excursions between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F) [See USP Controlled Room Temperature] [].Acetylcysteine injection is available as a 20% solution (200 mg/mL) in 30 mL single dose glass vials. Each single dose vial contains 6 g/30 mL (200 mg/mL) of acetylcysteine injection. Acetylcysteine injection is sterile and can be used for intravenous administration. It is available as follows:     30 mL single dose vials    in a carton of 4                                                                    NDC 55150-259-30 Do not use previously opened vials for intravenous administration. The color of acetylcysteine injection may turn from essentially colorless to a slight pink or purple once the stopper is punctured. The color change does not affect the quality of the product. The stopper in the acetylcysteine injection vial is formulated with a synthetic base-polymer and does not contain Natural Rubber Latex, Dry Natural Rubber, or blends of Natural Rubber. Store unopened vials at controlled room temperature, 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature].