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Quick facts
- How it is given
- intravenous
- Type
- human prescription drug
- Brand names
- Dexmedetomidine in Dextrose
- RxNorm ID
- 1718906
We do not publish dosing. How much of this medicine to take, how often, and for how long depends on your age, weight, kidney and liver function, other conditions and other medicines. That is a decision for the person who prescribes or dispenses it. Follow the directions on your own pack and ask your pharmacist if anything is unclear.
What it is used to treat
Dexmedetomidine Injection and Dexmedetomidine in 5% Dextrose Injection is a alpha 2 adrenergic receptor agonist indicated for: • Sedation of initially intubated and mechanically ventilated adult patients during treatment in an intensive care setting. Administer Dexmedetomidine Injection and Dexmedetomidine in 5% Dextrose Injection by continuous infusion not to exceed 24 hours. (1.1) • Sedation of non-intubated adult patients prior to and/or during surgical and other procedures. (1.2) 1.1 Intensive Care Unit Sedation Dexmedetomidine Injection and Dexmedetomidine in 5% Dextrose Injection is indicated for sedation of initially intubated and mechanically ventilated adult patients during treatment in an intensive care setting. Dexmedetomidine Injection and Dexmedetomidine in 5% Dextrose Injection should be administered by continuous infusion not to exceed 24 hours. 1.2 Procedural Sedation Dexmedetomidine Injection and Dexmedetomidine in 5% Dextrose Injection is indicated for sedation of non-intubated adult patients prior to and/or during surgical and other procedures.
About this medicine
Dexmedetomidine Injection is a sterile, nonpyrogenic solution suitable for intravenous infusion following dilution. Dexmedetomidine in 5% Dextrose Injection is a sterile ready-to-use, nonpyrogenic solution suitable for intravenous infusion. Dexmedetomidine Injection and Dexmedetomidine in Dextrose Injection contains the dexmedetomidine as active pharmaceutical ingredient in the form of the hydrochloride salt form. Dexmedetomidine hydrochloride is a central alpha-2 adrenergic agonist. Structurally it is the S -enantiomer of medetomidine and is chemically described as 4-[( S )-α,2,3-Trimethylbenzyl]imidazole monohydrochloride. Dexmedetomidine hydrochloride has a molecular weight of 236.74 and the empirical formula is C 13 H 16 N 2 • HCl and the structural formula is: Dexmedetomidine hydrochloride is a white or almost white powder that is freely soluble in water and has a pKa of 7.1. Its partition coefficient in-octanol: water at pH 7.4 is 2.89. Dexmedetomidine Injection is supplied as a clear, colorless, isotonic solution with a pH of 4.5 to 7. Each mL contains 118 mcg of dexmedetomidine hydrochloride USP, equivalent to 100 mcg (0.1 mg) of dexmedetomidine, 1.6 mg of methylparaben NF and 0.2 mg of propylparaben NF, as preservatives and 9 mg of sodium chloride USP, as tonicity agent in water for injection. Dexmedetomidine in 5% Dextrose Injection is supplied as a clear, colorless, isotonic solution with a pH of 4.5 to 7. Each mL contains 4.72 mcg of dexmedetomidine hydrochloride USP, equivalent to 4 mcg of dexmedetomidine, and 50 mg dextrose monohydrate USP, as tonicity agent, in water for injection. structural formula
How it works
12.1 Mechanism of Action Dexmedetomidine is a relatively selective centrally acting alpha 2 -adrenergic agonist with sedative properties. Alpha 2 selectivity was observed in animals following slow intravenous infusion of low and medium doses (10 mcg/kg to 300 mcg/kg). Both alpha 1 and alpha 2 activity is observed following slow intravenous infusion of high doses (greater than or equal to 1000 mcg/kg) or with rapid intravenous administration.
Warnings and cautions
• Monitoring: Continuously monitor patients while receiving dexmedetomidine. (5.1) • Bradycardia and Sinus Arrest: Have occurred in young healthy volunteers with high vagal tone or with different routes of administration, e.g., rapid intravenous or bolus administration. (5.2) • Hypotension and Bradycardia: May necessitate medical intervention. May be more pronounced in patients with hypovolemia, diabetes mellitus, or chronic hypertension, and in the elderly. Use with caution in patients with advanced heart block or severe ventricular dysfunction. (5.2) • Co-administration with Other Vasodilators or Negative Chronotropic Agents: Use with caution due to additive pharmacodynamic effects. (5.2) • Transient Hypertension: Observed primarily during the loading dose. Consider reduction in loading infusion rate. (5.3) • Arousability: Patients can become aroused/alert with stimulation; this alone should not be considered as lack of efficacy. (5.4) • Tolerance and Tachyphylaxis: Prolonged exposure to dexmedetomidine beyond 24 hours may be associated with tolerance and tachyphylaxis and a dose-related increase in adverse events. (5.7) 5.1 Drug Administration Dexmedetomidine should be administered only by persons skilled in the management of patients in the intensive care or operating room setting. Due to the known pharmacological effects of dexmedetomidine, patients should be continuously monitored while receiving dexmedetomidine. 5.2 Hypotension, Bradycardia, and Sinus Arrest Clinically significant episodes of bradycardia and sinus arrest have been reported with dexmedetomidine administration in young, healthy adult volunteers with high vagal tone or with different routes of administration including rapid intravenous or bolus administration. Reports of hypotension and bradycardia have been associated with dexmedetomidine infusion. Some of these cases have resulted in fatalities. If medical intervention is required, treatment may include decreasing or stopping the infusion of dexmedetomidine, increasing the rate of intravenous fluid administration, elevation of the lower extremities, and use of pressor agents. […]
Reported side effects
The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: • Hypotension, bradycardia and sinus arrest [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] • Transient hypertension [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] • The most common adverse reactions (incidence >2%) in adults are hypotension, bradycardia, and dry mouth. (6.1) • Adverse reactions in adults, associated with infusions >24 hours in duration include ARDS, respiratory failure, and agitation. (6.1) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact WG Critical Care at 1-866-562-4708 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reactions 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 practice. Most common treatment-emergent adverse reactions, occurring in greater than 2% of adult patients in both Intensive Care Unit and procedural sedation studies include hypotension, bradycardia and dry mouth. Intensive Care Unit Sedation Adverse reaction information is derived from the continuous infusion trials of dexmedetomidine for sedation in the Intensive Care Unit setting in which 1,007 adult patients received dexmedetomidine. The mean total dose was 7.4 mcg/kg (range: 0.8 to 84.1), mean dose per hour was 0.5 mcg/kg/hr (range: 0.1 to 6.0) and the mean duration of infusion of 15.9 hours (range: 0.2 to 157.2). The population was between 17 to 88 years of age, 43% ≥65 years of age, 77% male and 93% Caucasian. Treatment-emergent adverse reactions occurring at an incidence of >2% are provided in Table 2. The most frequent adverse reactions were hypotension, bradycardia and dry mouth [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] . […]
Interactions with other medicines
Anesthetics, Sedatives, Hypnotics, Opioids: Enhancement of pharmacodynamic effects. Reduction in dosage of dexmedetomidine or the concomitant medication may be required. (7.1) 7.1 Anesthetics, Sedatives, Hypnotics, Opioids Co-administration of dexmedetomidine with anesthetics, sedatives, hypnotics, and opioids is likely to lead to an enhancement of effects. Specific studies have confirmed these effects with sevoflurane, isoflurane, propofol, alfentanil, and midazolam. No pharmacokinetic interactions between dexmedetomidine and isoflurane, propofol, alfentanil and midazolam have been demonstrated. However, due to possible pharmacodynamic interactions, when co-administered with dexmedetomidine, a reduction in dosage of dexmedetomidine or the concomitant anesthetic, sedative, hypnotic or opioid may be required. 7.2 Neuromuscular Blockers In one study of 10 healthy adult volunteers, administration of dexmedetomidine for 45 minutes at a plasma concentration of one ng/mL resulted in no clinically meaningful increases in the magnitude of neuromuscular blockade associated with rocuronium administration.
Use in specific groups
• Geriatric Patients: Dose reduction should be considered. (2.2, 2.3, 5.2, 8.5) • Hepatic Impairment: Dose reduction should be considered. (2.2, 2.3, 5.9, 8.6) 8.1 Pregnancy Risk Summary Available data from published randomized controlled trials and case reports over several decades of use with intravenously administered dexmedetomidine during pregnancy have not identified a drug-associated risk of major birth defects and miscarriage; however, the reported exposures occurred after the first trimester. Most of the available data are based on studies with exposures that occurred at the time of caesarean section delivery, and these studies have not identified an adverse effect on maternal outcomes or infant Apgar scores. Available data indicate that dexmedetomidine crosses the placenta. In animal reproduction studies, fetal toxicity that lower fetal viability and reduced live fetuses occurred with subcutaneous administration of dexmedetomidine to pregnant rats during organogenesis at doses 1.8 times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD) of 17.8 mcg/kg/day. Developmental toxicity (low pup weights and adult offspring weights, decreased F1 grip strength, increased early implantation loss and decreased viability of second-generation offspring) occurred when pregnant rats were subcutaneously administered dexmedetomidine at doses less than the clinical dose from late pregnancy through lactation and weaning ( see Data ). The estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2-4% and 15-20%, respectively. Data Animal Data Increased post-implantation losses and reduced live fetuses in the presence of maternal toxicity (i.e. […]
If too much is taken
The tolerability of dexmedetomidine was studied in one study in which healthy adult subjects were administered doses at and above the recommended dose of 0.2 to 0.7 mcg/kg/hr. The maximum blood concentration achieved in this study was approximately 13 times the upper boundary of the therapeutic range. The most notable effects observed in two subjects who achieved the highest doses were first degree atrioventricular block and second-degree heart block. No hemodynamic compromise was noted with the atrioventricular block and the heart block resolved spontaneously within one minute. Five adult patients received an overdose of dexmedetomidine in the intensive care unit sedation studies. Two of these patients had no symptoms reported; one patient received a 2 mcg/kg loading dose over 10 minutes (twice the recommended loading dose) and one patient received a maintenance infusion of 0.8 mcg/kg/hr. Two other patients who received a 2 mcg/kg loading dose over 10 minutes, experienced bradycardia and/or hypotension. One patient who received a loading bolus dose of undiluted dexmedetomidine (19.4 mcg/kg), had cardiac arrest from which he was successfully resuscitated.
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This page is built from the openFDA record of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approved labelling for this product, effective 2 June 2026. Label text has been shortened and reformatted for readability; safety wording has not been altered in meaning. FDA labelling describes products approved in the United States — brand names, strengths, formulations and approved uses may differ in your country. Always read the leaflet that comes with your own pack. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the FDA. Retrieved 2026-07-30.