Brevibloc Drug Information

Clinical Trials Experience

Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice. The following adverse reaction rates are based on use of BREVIBLOC (Esmolol Hydrochloride) injection in clinical trials involving 369 patients with supraventricular tachycardia and over 600 intraoperative and postoperative patients enrolled in clinical trials. Most adverse effects observed in controlled clinical trial settings have been mild and transient.

The most important and common adverse effect has been hypotension. Deaths have been reported in post-marketing experience occurring during complex clinical states where BREVIBLOC injection was presumably being used simply to control ventricular rate. Table 3 Clinical Trial Adverse Reactions (Frequency ≥3%) System Organ Class (SOC) Preferred MedDRA Term Frequency VASCULAR DISORDERS Hypotension* Asymptomatic hypotension 25% Symptomatic hypotension (hyperhidrosis, dizziness) 12% GENERAL DISORDERS AND ADMINISTRATION SITE CONDITIONS Infusion site reactions (inflammation and induration) 8% GASTROINTESTINAL DISORDERS Nausea 7% NERVOUS SYSTEM DISORDERS Dizziness 3% Somnolence 3% * Hypotension resolved during BREVIBLOC (Esmolol Hydrochloride) infusion in 63% of patients.

In 80% of the remaining patients, hypotension resolved within 30 minutes following discontinuation of infusion. Clinical Trial Adverse Reactions (Frequency <3%) Psychiatric Disorders Confusional state and agitation (~2%) Anxiety, depression and abnormal thinking (<1%) Nervous System Disorders Headache (~ 2%) Paresthesia, syncope, speech disorder, and lightheadedness (<1%) Convulsions (<1%), with one death Vascular Disorders Peripheral ischemia (~1%) Pallor and flushing (<1%) Gastrointestinal Disorders Vomiting (~1%) Dyspepsia, constipation, dry mouth, and abdominal discomfort (<1%) Renal and Urinary Disorders Urinary retention (<1%)

Post-Marketing Experience

In addition to the adverse reactions reported in clinical trials, the following adverse reactions have been reported in the post-marketing experience. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to estimate reliably their frequency or to establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Cardiac Disorders Cardiac arrest, Coronary arteriospasm Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders Angioedema, Urticaria, Psoriasis

• Concomitant use of BREVIBLOC injection with other drugs that can lower blood pressure, reduce myocardial contractility, or interfere with sinus node function or electrical impulse propagation in the myocardium can exaggerate BREVIBLOC injection’s effects on blood pressure, contractility, and impulse propagation. Severe interactions with such drugs can result in, for example, severe hypotension, cardiac failure, severe bradycardia, sinus pause, sinoatrial block, atrioventricular block, and/or cardiac arrest. In addition, with some drugs, beta blockade may precipitate increased withdrawal effects. (See clonidine, guanfacine, and moxonidine below.) BREVIBLOC injection should therefore be used only after careful individual assessment of the risks and expected benefits in patients receiving drugs that can cause these types of pharmacodynamic interactions, including but not limited to:
• Digitalis glycosides: Concomitant administration of digoxin and BREVIBLOC injection leads to an approximate 10% to 20% increase of digoxin blood levels at some time points. Digoxin does not affect BREVIBLOC injection pharmacokinetics. Both digoxin and beta blockers slow atrioventricular conduction and decrease heart rate. Concomitant use increases the risk of bradycardia.
• Anticholinesterases: BREVIBLOC injection prolonged the duration of succinylcholine-induced neuromuscular blockade and moderately prolonged clinical duration and recovery index of mivacurium.
• Antihypertensive agents clonidine, guanfacine, or moxonidine: Beta blockers also increase the risk of clonidine-, guanfacine-, or moxonidine-withdrawal rebound hypertension. If, during concomitant use of a beta blocker, antihypertensive therapy needs to be interrupted or discontinued, discontinue the beta blocker first, and the discontinuation should be gradual.
• Calcium channel antagonists: In patients with depressed myocardial function, use of BREVIBLOC injection with cardiodepressant calcium channel antagonists (e.g., verapamil) can lead to fatal cardiac arrests.
• Sympathomimetic drugs: Sympathomimetic drugs having beta-adrenergic agonist activity will counteract effects of BREVIBLOC injection.
• Vasoconstrictive and positive inotropic agents: Because of the risk of reducing cardiac contractility in presence of high systemic vascular resistance, do not use BREVIBLOC injection to control tachycardia in patients receiving drugs that are vasoconstrictive and have positive inotropic effects, such as epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine.
• Digitalis glycosides: Risk of bradycardia ( 7 )
• Anticholinesterases: Prolongs neuromuscular blockade ( 7 )
• Antihypertensive agents: Risk of rebound hypertension ( 7 )
• Sympathomimetic drugs: Dose adjustment needed ( 7 )
• Vasoconstrictive and positive inotropic effect substances: Avoid concomitant use ( 7 )

Pregnancy Esmolol hydrochloride has been shown to produce increased fetal resorptions with minimal maternal toxicity in rabbits when given in doses approximately 8 times the maximum human maintenance dose (300 mcg/kg/min). There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. BREVIBLOC injection should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. Teratogenicity studies in rats at intravenous dosages of esmolol hydrochloride up to 3000 mcg/kg/min (10 times the maximum human maintenance dosage) for 30 minutes daily produced no evidence of maternal toxicity, embryotoxicity or teratogenicity, while a dosage of 10,000 mcg/kg/min produced maternal toxicity and lethality.

In rabbits, intravenous dosages up to 1000 mcg/kg/min for 30 minutes daily produced no evidence of maternal toxicity, embryotoxicity or teratogenicity, while 2500 mcg/kg/min produced minimal maternal toxicity and increased fetal resorptions.

Pediatric Use The safety and effectiveness of BREVIBLOC injection in pediatric patients have not been established.

• (Esmolol Hydrochloride) injection is contraindicated in patients with:
• Severe sinus bradycardia: May precipitate or worsen bradycardia resulting in cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ].
• Heart block greater than first degree: Second- or third-degree atrioventricular block may precipitate or worsen bradycardia resulting in cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ].
• Sick sinus syndrome: May precipitate or worsen bradycardia resulting in cardiogenic shock and cardiac arrest [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ].
• Decompensated heart failure: May worsen heart failure.
• Cardiogenic shock: May precipitate further cardiovascular collapse and cause cardiac arrest.
• IV administration of cardiodepressant calcium-channel antagonists (e.g., verapamil) and BREVIBLOC injection in close proximity (i.e., while cardiac effects from the other are still present); fatal cardiac arrests have occurred in patients receiving BREVIBLOC injection and intravenous verapamil.
• Pulmonary hypertension: May precipitate cardiorespiratory compromise.
• Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, to esmolol or any of the inactive ingredients of the product (cross-sensitivity between beta blockers is possible).
• Severe sinus bradycardia ( 4 )
• Heart block greater than first degree ( 4 )
• Sick sinus syndrome ( 4 )
• Decompensated heart failure ( 4 )
• Cardiogenic shock ( 4 )
• Coadministration of IV cardiodepressant calcium-channel antagonists (e.g. verapamil) in close proximity to BREVIBLOC injection ( 4 , 7 )
• Pulmonary hypertension ( 4 )
• Known hypersensitivity to esmolol ( 4 )

• 10.1 Signs and Symptoms of Overdose Overdoses of BREVIBLOC (Esmolol Hydrochloride) injection can cause cardiac and central nervous system effects. These effects may precipitate severe signs, symptoms, sequelae, and complications (for example, severe cardiac and respiratory failure, including shock and coma), and may be fatal. Continuous monitoring of the patient is required.
• Cardiac effects include bradycardia, atrioventricular block (1 st -, 2 nd -, 3 rd degree), junctional rhythms, intraventricular conduction delays, decreased cardiac contractility, hypotension, cardiac failure (including cardiogenic shock), cardiac arrest/asystole, and pulseless electrical activity.
• Central nervous system effects include respiratory depression, seizures, sleep and mood disturbances, fatigue, lethargy, and coma.
• In addition, bronchospasm, mesenteric ischemia, peripheral cyanosis, hyperkalemia, and hypoglycemia (especially in children) may occur. 10.2 Treatment Recommendations Because of its approximately 9-minute elimination half-life, the first step in the management of toxicity should be to discontinue the BREVIBLOC infusion. Then, based on the observed clinical effects, consider the following general measures. Bradycardia Consider intravenous administration of atropine or another anticholinergic drug or cardiac pacing. Cardiac Failure Consider intravenous administration of a diuretic or digitalis glycoside. In shock resulting from inadequate cardiac contractility, consider intravenous administration of dopamine, dobutamine, isoproterenol, or inamrinone. Glucagon has been reported to be useful. Symptomatic hypotension Consider intravenous administration of fluids or vasopressor agents such as dopamine or norepinephrine. Bronchospasm Consider intravenous administration of a beta 2 stimulating agent or a theophylline derivative. 10.3 Dilution Errors Massive accidental overdoses of BREVIBLOC injection have resulted from dilution errors. Use of BREVIBLOC PREMIXED Injection and BREVIBLOC PREMIXED Double Strength Injection may reduce the potential for dilution errors. Some of these overdoses have been fatal while others resulted in permanent disability. Bolus doses in the range of 625 mg to 2.5 g (12.5‑50 mg/kg) have been fatal. Patients have recovered completely from overdoses as high as 1.75 g given over one minute or doses of 7.5 g given over one hour for cardiovascular surgery. The patients who survived appear to be those whose circulation could be supported until the effects of BREVIBLOC injection resolved.