✅ Generic Name:
Labetalol Hydrochloride Injection 5 mg/mL
✅ Prescription Status:
Prescription-only medicine (Rx) – For hospital or emergency use only under medical supervision.
📄 Description:
Labetalol Injection is a parenteral antihypertensive used for acute control of severe hypertension. It contains 5 mg of Labetalol Hydrochloride per 1 mL of solution. It is administered via intravenous (IV) bolus or infusion.
It provides a rapid onset and short duration of action, ideal for hypertensive emergencies and situations requiring tight BP control (e.g., surgery, eclampsia).
🌿 Nature / Class:
- Pharmacologic class: Non-selective beta-blocker + selective alpha-1 blocker
- Therapeutic class: Intravenous antihypertensive
- Mechanism of action:
- Beta-blockade: slows heart rate and reduces myocardial oxygen demand
- Alpha-1 blockade: causes vasodilation and reduces peripheral resistance
→ Result: Rapid blood pressure reduction without major change in cardiac output
🎯 Purpose / Indications:
- Hypertensive emergencies
- Severe hypertension in hospitalized patients
- Hypertension during surgery or anesthesia
- Hypertension in pregnancy / preeclampsia / eclampsia
- Controlled BP lowering in patients with aortic dissection, stroke, etc.
✅ Advantages:
- Rapid onset (within 2–5 minutes IV)
- Short-acting, allowing precise control
- Minimal reflex tachycardia
- Safe in pregnancy – preferred option for acute BP lowering in eclampsia
- Can be titrated easily in ICU/surgical settings
📦 Common Packaging:
- Supplied in:
- 5 mL or 20 mL ampoules or vials
- Concentration: 5 mg/mL
- Example:
- 20 mL vial = 100 mg Labetalol
- Clear, colorless to slightly yellow solution
- For IV use only
❄️ Storage Conditions:
- Store at 20–25°C (68–77°F)
- Protect from light and freezing
- Do not use if solution is discolored or contains particles
- Use immediately after opening vial
👨⚕️ Patient Advice / Clinical Precautions:
- Hospital use only – continuous monitoring of BP, ECG, and heart rate required
- May cause:
- Dizziness or fainting
- Slow heart rate (bradycardia)
- Nausea, sweating, flushing
- Use with caution in patients with:
- Heart block or heart failure
- Asthma/COPD (may cause bronchospasm)
- Liver impairment (drug is metabolized hepatically)
- May mask symptoms of hypoglycemia in diabetics
- Do not mix with alkaline solutions (e.g., sodium bicarbonate)