Butalbital, Aspirin, Caffeine and Codeine Phosphate (Page 3 of 4)

Adverse Reactions to Butalbital, Aspirin, Caffeine and Codeine Phosphate

Commonly Observed

The most commonly reported adverse events associated with the use of butalbital, aspirin, caffeine, and codeine phosphate capsules and not reported at an equivalent incidence by placebo-treated patients were nausea and/or abdominal pain, drowsiness, and dizziness.

Of the 382 patients treated with butalbital, aspirin, caffeine, and codeine phosphate capsules in controlled clinical trials, three (0.8%) discontinued treatment with butalbital, aspirin, caffeine, and codeine phosphate capsules because of adverse events. One patient each discontinued treatment for the following reasons: gastrointestinal upset; lightheadedness and heavy eyelids; and drowsiness and generalized tingling.

The following table summarizes the incidence rates of the adverse events reported by at least 1% of the butalbital, aspirin, caffeine, and codeine phosphate capsules treated patients in controlled clinical trials comparing butalbital, aspirin, caffeine, and codeine phosphate capsules to placebo, and provides a comparison to the incidence rates reported by the placebo-treated patients.

The prescriber should be aware that these figures cannot be used to predict the incidence of side effects in the course of usual medical practice where patient characteristics and other factors differ from those that prevailed in the clinical trials. Similarly, the cited frequencies cannot be compared with figures obtained from other clinical investigations involving different treatments, uses, and investigators.

Adverse Events Reported by at Least 1% of Butalbital, Aspirin, Caffeine, and Codeine Phosphate Capsules Treated Patients During Placebo Controlled Clinical Trials Incidence Rate of Adverse Events
Body System/Adverse Event Butalbital, Aspirin, Caffeine, andCodeine Phosphate Capsules(N = 382) Placebo(N = 377)
Central Nervous Drowsiness2.4%0.5%
Dizziness/Lightheadedness2.6%0.5%
Intoxicated Feeling1.0%0%
Gastrointestinal Nausea/Abdominal Pain3.7%0.8%

The listing that follows represents the proportion of the 382 patients exposed to butalbital, aspirin, caffeine, and codeine phosphate capsules while participating in the controlled clinical trials who reported, on at least one occasion, an adverse event of the type cited. All reported adverse events, except those already presented in the previous table, are included. It is important to emphasize that, although the adverse events reported did occur while the patient was receiving butalbital, aspirin, caffeine, and codeine phosphate capsules, the adverse events were not necessarily caused by butalbital, aspirin, caffeine, and codeine phosphate capsules.

Adverse events are classified by body system and frequency. “Frequent” is defined as an adverse event which occurred in at least 1/100 (1%) of the patients; all adverse events listed in the previous table are frequent. “Infrequent” is defined as an adverse event that occurred in less than 1/100 patients but at least 1/1000 patients. All adverse events tabulated below are classified as infrequent.

Central Nervous: headache, shaky feeling, tingling, agitation, fainting, fatigue, heavy eyelids, high energy, hot spells, numbness, and sluggishness.

Autonomic Nervous: dry mouth and hyperhidrosis.

Gastrointestinal: vomiting, difficulty swallowing, and heartburn.

Cardiovascular: tachycardia.

Musculoskeletal: leg pain and muscle fatigue.

Genitourinary: diuresis.

Miscellaneous: pruritus, fever, earache, nasal congestion, and tinnitus.

Voluntary reports of adverse drug events, temporally associated with butalbital, aspirin, caffeine, and codeine phosphate capsules, that have been received since market introduction and that were not reported in clinical trials by the patients treated with butalbital, aspirin, caffeine, and codeine phosphate capsules, are listed below. Many or most of these events may have no causal relationship with the drug and are listed according to body system.

Central Nervous: Abuse, addiction, anxiety, depression, disorientation, hallucination, hyperactivity, insomnia, libido decrease, nervousness, neuropathy, psychosis, sedation, sexual activity increase, slurred speech, twitching, unconsciousness, vertigo.

Autonomic Nervous: epistaxis, flushing, miosis, salivation.

Gastrointestinal: anorexia, appetite increased, constipation, diarrhea, esophagitis, gastroenteritis, gastrointestinal spasm, hiccup, mouth burning, pyloric ulcer.

Cardiovascular: chest pain, hypotensive reaction, palpitations, syncope.

Skin: erythema, erythema multiforme, exfoliative dermatitis, hives, rash, toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Urinary: kidney impairment, urinary difficulty.

Miscellaneous: allergic reaction, anaphylactic shock, cholangiocarcinoma, drug interaction with erythromycin (stomach upset), edema.

The following adverse drug events may be borne in mind as potential effects of the components of Butalbital, Aspirin, Caffeine, and Codeine Phosphate Capsules, USP. Potential effects of high dosage are listed in the OVERDOSAGE section of this insert.

Aspirin: occult blood loss, hemolytic anemia, iron deficiency anemia, gastric distress, heartburn, nausea, peptic ulcer, prolonged bleeding time, acute airway obstruction, renal toxicity when taken in high doses for prolonged periods, impaired urate excretion, hepatitis.

Caffeine: cardiac stimulation, irritability, tremor, dependence, nephrotoxicity, hyperglycemia.

Codeine: nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, lightheadedness, constipation, pruritus.

DRUG ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE

Controlled Substance

Butalbital, Aspirin, Caffeine, and Codeine Phosphate Capsules, USP is controlled by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is classified under Schedule III.

Abuse and Dependence

Codeine

Codeine can produce drug dependence of the morphine type and, therefore, has the potential for being abused. Psychological dependence, physical dependence, and tolerance may develop upon repeated administration and it should be prescribed and administered with the same degree of caution appropriate to the use of other oral narcotic medications.

Butalbital

Barbiturates may be habit-forming: Tolerance, psychological dependence, and physical dependence may occur especially following prolonged use of high doses of barbiturates. The average daily dose for the barbiturate addict is usually about 1,500 mg. As tolerance to barbiturates develops, the amount needed to maintain the same level of intoxication increases; tolerance to a fatal dosage, however, does not increase more than twofold. As this occurs, the margin between an intoxication dosage and fatal dosage becomes smaller. The lethal dose of a barbiturate is far less if alcohol is also ingested. Major withdrawal symptoms (convulsions and delirium) may occur within 16 hours and last up to 5 days after abrupt cessation of these drugs. Intensity of withdrawal symptoms gradually declines over a period of approximately 15 days. Treatment of barbiturate dependence consists of cautious and gradual withdrawal of the drug. Barbiturate-dependent patients can be withdrawn by using a number of different withdrawal regimens. One method involves initiating treatment at the patient’s regular dosage level and gradually decreasing the daily dosage as tolerated by the patient.

OVERDOSAGE

The toxic effects of acute overdosage of Butalbital, Aspirin, Caffeine, and Codeine Phosphate Capsules, USP are attributable mainly to the barbiturate and codeine components, and, to a lesser extent, aspirin. Because toxic effects of caffeine occur in very high dosages only, the possibility of significant caffeine toxicity from Butalbital, Aspirin, Caffeine, and Codeine Phosphate Capsules, USP overdosage is unlikely.

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms attributable to acute barbiturate poisoning include drowsiness, confusion, and coma; respiratory depression; hypotension; hypovolemic shock. Symptoms attributable to acute aspirin poisoning include hyperpnea; acid-base disturbances with development of metabolic acidosis; vomiting and abdominal pain; tinnitus, hyperthermia; hypoprothrombinemia; restlessness; delirium; convulsions. Acute caffeine poisoning may cause insomnia, restlessness, tremor, and delirium; tachycardia and extrasystoles. Symptoms of acute codeine poisoning include the opioid triad of: pinpoint pupils, marked depression of respiration, and loss of consciousness. Convulsions may occur.

Treatment

The following paragraphs describe one approach to the treatment of overdose with Butalbital, Aspirin, Caffeine, and Codeine Phosphate Capsules, USP. However, because strategies for the management of an overdose continually evolve, consultation with a regional poison control center is strongly encouraged.

Treatment consists primarily of management of barbiturate intoxication, reversal of the effects of codeine, and the correction of the acid-base imbalance due to salicylism. Vomiting should be induced mechanically or with emetics in the conscious patient. Gastric lavage may be used if the pharyngeal and laryngeal reflexes are present and if less than 4 hours have elapsed since ingestion. A cuffed endotracheal tube should be inserted before gastric lavage of the unconscious patient and when necessary to provide assisted respiration. Diuresis, alkalinization of the urine, and correction of electrolyte disturbances should be accomplished through administration of intravenous fluids such as 1% sodium bicarbonate and 5% dextrose in water.

Meticulous attention should be given to maintaining adequate pulmonary ventilation. The value of vasopressor agents such as Norepinephrine or Phenylephrine Hydrochloride in treating hypotension is questionable since they increase vasoconstriction and decrease blood flow. However, if prolonged support of blood pressure is required, Norepinephrine Bitartrate (Levophed®) may be given I.V. with the usual precautions and serial blood pressure monitoring. In severe cases of intoxication, peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, or exchange transfusion may be lifesaving. Hypoprothrombinemia should be treated with vitamin K, intravenously.

Methemoglobinemia over 30% should be treated with methylene blue by slow intravenous administration.

Naloxone, a narcotic antagonist, can reverse respiratory depression and coma associated with opioid overdose. Typically, a dose of 0.4-2 mg is given parenterally and may be repeated if an adequate response is not achieved. Since the duration of action of codeine may exceed that of the antagonist, the patient should be kept under continued surveillance and repeated doses of the antagonist should be administered as needed to maintain adequate respiration. A narcotic antagonist should not be administered in the absence of clinically significant respiratory or cardiovascular depression.

Up-to-date information about the treatment of overdose can be obtained from a Certified Regional Poison Control Center. Telephone numbers of Certified Regional Poison Control Centers are listed in the Physicians’ Desk Reference®.

Toxic and Lethal Doses (for adults)

Butalbital: toxic dose 1 g (20 capsules); lethal dose 2-5 g
Aspirin: toxic blood level greater than 30 mg/100 mL; lethal dose 10-30 g
Caffeine: toxic dose greater than 1 g; (25 capsules); lethal dose unknown
Codeine: toxic dose 240 mg (8 capsules); lethal dose 0.5-1 g

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