Brown Snake Antivenom

Страна: Австралія

мова: англійська

Джерело: Department of Health (Therapeutic Goods Administration)

Активний інгредієнт:

Brown snake antivenom

інформаційний буклет

BROWN SNAKE ANTIVENOM 
1 
BROWN SNAKE ANTIVENOM

CONSUMER MEDICINE INFORMATION_ _

WHAT IS IN THIS LEAFLET 

This leaflet answers some common 
questions about Brown Snake 
Antivenom. 

It does not contain all the available 
information. It does not take the 
place of talking to your doctor or 
pharmacist. 

All medicines have risks and 
benefits.  Your doctor has weighed 
the risks of you having Brown Snake 
Antivenom against the benefits they 
expect it will have. 

IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THIS 
MEDICINE, ASK YOUR DOCTOR, NURSE 
OR PHARMACIST. 

KEEP THIS LEAFLET. 
You may need to read it again. 

WHAT BROWN SNAKE 
ANTIVENOM IS USED FOR 

_WHAT IT IS USED FOR _

Brown  Snake  Antivenom  is  given  to 
those  people  who  become  ill  after 
being  bitten  by  a  brown,  dugite  or 
gwardar snake.   

Not everyone who is bitten needs the 
antivenom as some people have only 
very mild effects from the bite or 
none at all.  However, some people 
can become very ill after being bitten 
and in these people it is essential to 
use an appropriate amount of 
antivenom to counteract the effects 
of the poison.   

_HOW IT WORKS _

Brown  Snake  Antivenom  is  an 
injection  designed  to  help  neutralise 
the  effect  of  the  poison  (venom)  of 
the  brown,  dugite  and  gwardar 
snakes.   

It  is  made  by  immunising  horses 
against  the  venom  of  the  brown 
snake and then collecting that part of 
the  horse’s  blood  which  neutralises 
this poison.   

The  antivenom  is  purified  and  made 
into an injection for people who may 
need it after being bitten by a brown 
snake. 

ASK YOUR DOCTOR IF YOU HAVE ANY 
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHY THIS MEDICINE 
HAS BEEN GIVEN TO

Характеристики продукта

BROWN 
SNAKE 
ANTIVENOM 
PRODUCT 
INFORMATION 

 1(4) 

PRODUCT INFORMATION 

NAME OF THE MEDICINE 

BROWN SNAKE ANTIVENOM 

      AUST R 74897 

DESCRIPTION

BROWN SNAKE ANTIVENOM is prepared from the plasma of horses immunised
with the venom of 
the brown snake (_Pseudonaja textilis_).  Each vial contains 1,000
units of antivenom which has been 
standardised to neutralise _in vitro_ the average yield of venom
from the brown snake. 

The product also contains phenol, sodium chloride and other equine
plasma proteins in an aqueous 
solution. 

PHARMACOLOGY 

Brown snakes were responsible for 11 of the 18 deaths from snake
bite recorded in Australia between 
1981 and 1991.  Death after a brown snake bite is often sudden and
unexpected.  The venom can 
cause rapid onset of life-threatening
coagulopathy, sometimes associated with respiratory paralysis 
and thrombocytopenia. 

Although the amount of antivenom in each dose of BROWN SNAKE
ANTIVENOM will neutralise the 
average yield of venom _in vitro_, the actual amount needed in
clinical practice may be considerably 
more, particularly if gross coagulopathy or myocardial depression are
present. 

INDICATIONS 

For the treatment of patients who exhibit manifestations of systemic
envenoming following a bite by a 
snake of the genus _Pseudonaja_.  This genus includes the Eastern
brown snake, the dugite and the 
gwardar (Western brown snake). 

CONTRAINDICATIONS 

There are no absolute contraindications, but the product should not be
used unless there is clear 
evidence of systemic envenoming with the potential for serious toxic
effects. 

PRECAUTIONS 

WHEN MEDICINAL PRODUCTS PREPARED FROM ANIMAL PLASMA ARE ADMINISTERED,
INFECTIOUS DISEASES 
DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION OF INFECTIVE AGENTS CANNOT BE
TOTALLY EXCLUDED.  THIS APPLIES TO 
PATHOGENS OF HITHERTO UNKNOWN ORIGIN.  THIS POSSIBILITY MUST
ALWAYS BE CONSIDERED AND SHOULD 
BE CONVE