$Unique_ID{BRK03074} $Pretitle{} $Title{chloral hydrate} $Subject{Aquachloral Supprettes Webcon Noctec Squibb Mark Sedative hypnotic chloral hydrate sleeping aid insomnia anti-anxiety pain surgical procedures central nervous system depressant} $Volume{} $Log{} Copyright (C) 1993 Publications International, Ltd. chloral hydrate ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BRAND NAMES (Manufacturers) Aquachloral Supprettes (Webcon) chloral hydrate (various manufacturers) Noctec (Squibb Mark) TYPE OF DRUG Sedative/hypnotic INGREDIENT chloral hydrate DOSAGE FORMS Capsules (250 mg and 500 mg) Oral syrup (250 mg and 500 mg per 5-ml spoonful) Suppositories (325 mg, 500 mg, and 650 mg) STORAGE Store at room temperature in a tightly closed, light-resistant container. This medication should never be frozen. The suppositories should be kept in the glass container in which they were dispensed. USES Chloral hydrate is used as a sleeping aid in the treatment of insomnia. It is also used as an anti-anxiety or pain medication before or after surgical procedures. Exactly how chloral hydrate works is not clearly understood, but it is known to be a central nervous system depressant. TREATMENT Chloral hydrate should be taken 15 to 30 minutes before bedtime. In order to prevent stomach irritation, you should take chloral hydrate capsules with a full glass of water (unless your doctor directs you to do otherwise). The capsules should be swallowed whole to avoid their bad taste. Each dose of the oral syrup should be measured carefully with a specially designed 5-ml measuring spoon. An ordinary kitchen teaspoon is not accurate enough. The syrup should then be mixed with at least one-half glass (four ounces) of a nonalcoholic beverage (to avoid stomach irritation and to mask the taste). To insert the suppository form of this medication, first unwrap it and moisten it slightly with water (if the suppository is too soft, run cold water over it or refrigerate it for 30 minutes before you unwrap it). Lie down on your left side with your right knee bent. Push the suppository well into the rectum with your finger. Try to avoid having a bowel movement for at least an hour. The use of this drug as a sleeping aid should be limited to two weeks. After that period, chloral hydrate loses its ability to induce and sustain sleep. SIDE EFFECTS Minor. Diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness during the day, gas, headache, nausea, stomach irritation, unpleasant taste in the mouth, or vomiting. These side effects should disappear as your body adjusts to the medication. If you feel dizzy or light-headed, sit or lie down for a while; get up slowly from a sitting or reclining position, and be careful on stairs. Major. Tell your doctor about any side effects that are persistent or particularly bothersome. IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR about confusion, difficulty in breathing, disorientation, excitation, fatigue, feeling faint, hallucinations, hives or itching, loss of coordination, nightmares, skin rash, or yellowing of the eyes or skin. INTERACTIONS Chloral hydrate interacts with a number of other types of medications: 1. Concurrent use of chloral hydrate with other central nervous system depressants (such as alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepine tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, narcotics, pain medications, phenothiazine tranquilizers, and other sleeping medications) or with tricyclic antidepressants can lead to extreme drowsiness. 2. Chloral hydrate can increase the effects of oral anti-coagulants (blood thinners, such as warfarin), which can lead to bleeding complications. BE SURE TO TELL YOUR DOCTOR about any medications you are currently taking, especially any listed above. WARNINGS * Tell your doctor about unusual or allergic reactions you have had to any medications, especially to chloral hydrate or to triclofos. * Before starting to take this medication, be sure to tell your doctor if you now have or if you have ever had gastritis, heart disease, inflammation of the esophagus, bowel, or rectum, kidney disease, liver disease, porphyria, or ulcers. * If this drug makes you dizzy or drowsy, do not take part in any activity that requires alertness, such as driving an automobile or operating dangerous machinery or equipment. * Some dosage forms of this drug contain the color additive FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), which can cause allergic-type reactions (shortness of breath, fainting, rash) in susceptible individuals. * This drug has the potential for abuse and must be used with caution. A tolerance to this medication develops quickly; do not increase the dosage or stop taking this drug unless you first consult your doctor. If you have been taking chloral hydrate for a long time or have been taking large doses, you may experience anxiety, muscle twitching, tremors, weakness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, or blurred vision when you stop taking it. Your doctor may, therefore, want to reduce your dosage of this medication gradually. * Be sure to tell your doctor if you are pregnant. Although extensive studies in animals and humans have not been conducted, it is known that chloral hydrate crosses the placenta. Therefore, if it is used for prolonged periods during the last three months of pregnancy, there exists the possibility that the infant will be born with an addiction to the medication and will experience a withdrawal reaction (convulsions and irritability) at birth. Also, be sure to tell your doctor if you are currently breast-feeding an infant. Small amounts of chloral hydrate are known to pass into breast milk and may cause excessive drowsiness in the nursing infant. ---------------- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.