Duraclon

Duraclon is a prescription medication used in combination with opiates for the treatment of severe pain in cancer patients. Duraclon belongs to a group of drugs called centrally acting alpha-agonist hypotensive agents. These work to prevent pain signals from being sent to the brain. 

This medication is available in an injectable form to be given by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects of Duraclon include low blood pressure, low heart rate, and dry mouth. Duraclon can also cause dizziness or drowsiness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how this medication will affect you. Alcohol may intensify this side effect.

Duraclon is a prescription medication used in combination with opiates for the treatment of severe pain in cancer patients.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

• Mylan Institutional, Inc.

Common side effects of Duraclon include:

• drop in blood pressure
• slow heart rate
• dry mouth
• drowsiness
• fatigue
• headache
• insomnia
• dizziness

This is not a complete list of Duraclon side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with Duraclon. See “Drug Precautions” section.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• alcohol
• barbiturates such as phenobarbital
• tricyclic antidepressants such as selegiline (Emsam, Eldepryl), amitriptyline (Elavil), or nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor)
• antipsychotics such as haloperidol (Haldol), risperidone (Risperdal), and olanzapine (Zyprexa)
• digoxin (Lanoxin)
• calcium channel blockers such as verapamil (Calan), diltiazem (Cardizem), or amlodipine (Norvasc)
• beta blockers such as carvedilol (Coreg), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL), and atenolol (Tenormin)

This is not a complete list of Duraclon drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with Duraclon including:

• Duraclon can cause drowsiness or dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how Duraclon affects you.
• Duraclon may worsen pre-existing heart conduction abnormalities, especially if you are taking other drugs similar to the way Duraclon works.

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Duraclon, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Duraclon.

Alcohol may intensify some of the side effects of this medication.

Before receiving Duraclon, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• have a history of heart problems
• have hypertension due to pheochromocytoma (tumor of the adrenal glands)
• are planning to undergo surgery
• have kidney problems
• have liver problems
• wear contact lenses
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Duraclon falls into category C. No adequate studies have been done in pregnant women. Animal study results do not always equal that of human response. Duraclon should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed. It is not known if Duraclon will harm your unborn baby.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

The active ingredient in Duraclon is excreted in human breast milk. The effect of Duraclon on the nursing infant is not known.

This medication is also available in an injectable form to be given by a healthcare professional.

The recommended starting dose of Duraclon (clonidine) for epidural infusion is 30 mcg/hour. Dosage may be increased or decreased depending on pain relief and occurrence of side effects.

Since Duraclon is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

The 500 mcg/mL injectable strength product must be diluted prior to use in an appropriate solution.

NOTE: Duraclon injection (epidural clonidine) is not recommended for obstetrical, postpartum, or perioperative pain management. The risk of hemodynamic instability, especially hypotension and bradycardia, from epidural Duraclon may be unacceptable in these patients. However, in a rare obstetrical, postpartum or perioperative patient, potential benefits may outweigh the possible risks.