Tractocile

What is it?

A drug used in obstetrics which is an oxytocin antagonist available as a solution in vials containing 7.5mg of atosiban as acetate per ml.

Medical Uses

To delay imminent premature birth in women who have started in labour and who are carrying a foetus aged 24 to 33 weeks gestation.

Dosage

Adults, a bolus dose of 6.75mg given intravenously over 1 minute to begin with, as soon as possible after labour starts. Follow immediately with continuous intravenous infusion for 3 hours, delivering 300µg per minute. Then continuous intravenous infusion for up to 45 hours delivering 100µg per minute. The maximum treatment period is 48 hours and the maximum dose is 330mg, with treatment being withdrawn if contractions cannot be halted.

Special Care

Liver or kidney disorders, placenta abnormally sited, patient being re-treated (no data exists for women who have been treated more than 3 times during one pregnancy). Close monitoring of womb contractions and foetal heartbeat is needed and woman should be checked for blood loss after birth.

Avoid Use

Premature rupture of membranes after 30 weeks gestation, any condition of mother or foetus causing risk to either, if pregnancy continues, foetus aged less than 24 weeks or more than 33 weeks gestation.

Known Side Effects

Reactions at injection site, nausea, low blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, headache, vomiting, dizziness, high blood sugar levels, flushing. any adverse side effects should be reported to the Committee on the Safety of Medicines (CSM).