Primacor Injection

Milrinone Lactate

Injection ampoules 1 mg/mL

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about Primacor injection. It does
not contain all the available information.

It does not take the place of talking to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.

All medicines have benefits and risks. In deciding to give you Primacor your
doctor has weighed the risks of taking Primacor against the benefits this
medicine is expected to have for you.

If you have any concerns about this medicine ask your doctor.

What is Primacor used for?

Primacor is used for the short term treatment of severe congestive heart
failure. This is a condition where the heart fails to pump enough blood around
the body. The symptoms of this condition include weakness, breathlessness, fluid
build-up in the tissues and a blue discolouration of the skin.

Primacor also helps to maintain the output of blood from the heart in
patients following heart surgery.

Primacor helps improve the efficiency with which your heart pumps blood
around your body.

Primacor works by increasing the force by which your heart muscles work and
opening up your blood vessels to allow blood to flow more freely.

Before Primacor is Given

When Primacor should not be used:

You should not use Primacor if you are allergic to milrinone. The
symptoms of an allergic reaction may include a rash, asthma attack or hay fever.

Primacor should not be given if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, unless
you and your doctor have discussed the risks and benefits involved. It is
not known whether Primacor can harm your baby or whether it is found in breast
milk.

Before you are given it:

You must tell your doctor if:

• You suffer from kidney disease
• You already suffer from another heart condition
• You are allergic to other drugs used to treat congestive heart failure.

You should talk to your doctor if you are using any other medicines,
including medicines that you buy without a prescription. These medicines may be
affected by Primacor or affect the way that Primacor works.

If you have not told your doctor about any of these things, tell him/her
before Primacor is given to you.

How Primacor is given

Primacor is usually given to you in hospital. It is given to you as a series
of injections as follows:

Adults:

Initial Dose

1 injection given slowly over a 10 minute period.

Second Dose

The Primacor will be diluted with intravenous fluids and injected slowly into a
vein. This "infusion" may last up to 48 hours. The dose used will depend upon
the severity of your condition.

Primacor is not recommended for use in children.

If you are given too much (Overdose)

Too high a dose of Primacor may cause low blood pressure. If this occurs, the
dose of Primacor may be reduced or the infusion temporarily stopped.

Side Effects

Tell your doctor as soon as you do not feel well while Primacor is being
given to you.

Primacor helps most people with severe congestive heart failure, but it may
have unwanted effects in some people.

All medicines have side effects. Some times they are serious, most of the
time they are not.

Effects you may feel during the Primacor injection include:

• An irregular heartbeat
• Low blood pressure
• Light headedness, dizziness
• Chest pain
• Headaches

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.

Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel
unwell.

Storage

If you need to store Primacor make sure it is in a cool dry place where the
temperature does not exceed 30°C.

Do not refrigerate.

This is not all the information available on Primacor. If you have any more
questions or are not sure about anything ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.

Product Description

Primacor is a clear colourless to pale yellow solution.

A box contains 10 vials of 1 mg/mL in 10mL Injection ampoules (single-dose).

Each Primacor 10 mL ampoule contains:

Active Ingredient:

• Milrinone Lactate 1mg/mL

Other ingredients:

• Glucose
• Sterile Water