SUMMARY CMI
CITANEST injection
Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) summary
The full CMI on the next page has more details. If you are worried about using this medicine, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
1. Why am I using CITANEST?
CITANEST contains the active ingredient prilocaine hydrochloride. It is a local anaesthetic and is used to prevent or relieve pain before surgery or other procedures. It will not put you to sleep. CITANEST is also used to make childbirth less painful.
For more information, see Section 1. Why am I using CITANEST? in the full CMI.
2. What should I know before I use CITANEST?
Do not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to CITANEST or any of the ingredients listed at the end of the CMI.
Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions, take any other medicines, or are pregnant or are breastfeeding.
For more information, see Section 2. What should I know before I use CITANEST? in the full CMI.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Some medicines may interfere with CITANEST and affect how it works.
A list of these medicines is in Section 3. What if I am taking other medicines? in the full CMI.
4. How CITANEST is given?
- The dosage given will depend on your body size, age and the type of pain relief required.
- CITANEST will be injected by your doctor into the skin, near a single nerve into an area which contains a large number of nerves or into a vein.
More instructions can be found in Section 4. How CITANEST is given? in the full CMI.
5. What should I know while receiving CITANEST?
Things you should do |
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Driving or using machines |
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Drinking alcohol |
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Looking after your medicine |
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For more information, see Section 5. What should I know while receiving CITANEST? in the full CMI.
6. Are there any side effects?
Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being given CITANEST.
Some of the mild side effects include nervousness, dizziness, blurred vision, drowsiness, ringing in the ears, numbness, feeling strange (disoriented), nausea and vomiting.
Some of the serious side effects include fits, unconsciousness, breathing problems, low blood pressure, slow heartbeat, collapse and a problem with your blood called methaemoglobinaemia.
For more information, including what to do if you have any side effects, see Section 6. Are there any side effects? in the full CMI.
FULL CMI
CITANEST injection
Active ingredient: prilocaine hydrochloride
Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)
This leaflet provides important information about using CITANEST.
You should also speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you would like further information or if you have any concerns or questions about using CITANEST.
Where to find information in this leaflet:
1. Why am I using CITANEST?
2. What should I know before I use CITANEST?
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
4. How CITANEST is given?
5. What should I know while receiving CITANEST?
6. Are there any side effects?
7. Product details
1. Why am I using CITANEST?
CITANEST contains the active ingredient prilocaine hydrochloride.
It is a local anaesthetic and is injected into the body where it makes the nerves unable to pass messages to the brain. Depending on the amount used, CITANEST will prevent or relieve pain before surgery or other procedures. It will not put you to sleep.
CITANEST is also used to make childbirth less painful.
CITANEST is sometimes combined with adrenaline to make it last longer. Adrenaline makes the blood vessels at the site of injection narrower, which keeps the CITANEST where it is needed for a longer time.
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor carefully.
Your doctor will have explained why you are being treated with CITANEST and told you what dose you will be given.
Ask your doctor if you want more information.
Your doctor may prescribe this medicine for another use. CITANEST is not addictive.
2. What should I know before I use CITANEST?
Warnings
You must not be given CITANEST if:
- you are allergic to prilocaine hydrochloride, or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet including other local anaesthetics e.g. lignocaine or other substances.
- the expiry date printed on the pack has passed.
- the solution is not clear, or the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
Check with your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
- a problem with your blood called methaemoglobinaemia
- problems with your blood pressure or circulation
- blood poisoning
- problems with the clotting of your blood
- nerve problems
- heart problems
- liver problems
- kidney problems
- malignant hyperthermia
- infection or inflammation at the site of injection
- problems with your back.
It may not be safe for you to be given CITANEST if you have any of these conditions.
During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information under Section 6. Are there any side effects?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Check with your doctor if you are pregnant.
CITANEST should not be given to you while you are pregnant because it may harm your baby's health.
If you are breastfeeding do not use CITANEST unless your doctor says so.
It is not known if CITANEST appears in breast milk.
Use in children
Do not give CITANEST to children under 6 months of age.
It may affect the amount of oxygen in their blood.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
These medicines may affect the way CITANEST works. This includes:
- lignocaine
- mexiletine
- sulfonamides
- antimalarials.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about what medicines, vitamins or supplements you are taking and if these affect CITANEST.
Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you what to do if you are taking any of these medicines.
4. How CITANEST is given?
How much is given
The dosage given will depend on your body size, age and the type of pain relief required.
Your doctor will have had a lot of experience injecting CITANEST INJECTION or other local anaesthetics and will choose the best dose for you.
How CITANEST is administered
CITANEST will be injected by your doctor into the skin, near a single nerve into an area which contains a large number of nerves or into a vein.
This will result in an area of numbness at the site of injection, near the site of injection or in an area that may seem unrelated to the site of injection e.g. an epidural injection (an injection around the spinal cord).
If you are given too much CITANEST
The doctor giving you CITANEST will be experienced in the use of local anaesthetic injections, so it is unlikely that you will be given an overdose.
However, if you are particularly sensitive to CITANEST, you may develop problems for a short time with your sight or hearing. You may get a numbness in or around your mouth, feel dizzy or stiff, or have muscle twitching.
Whenever, you are given CITANEST, equipment will be available to care for you if an overdose happens.
If any overdose occurs, you should immediately:
- phone the Poisons Information Centre
(by calling 13 11 26), or - contact your doctor, or
- go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.
You should do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need medical attention.
5. What should I know while receiving CITANEST?
Things you should do
Remind any doctor, dentist or pharmacist you visit that you are using CITANEST.
Driving or using machines
Be careful driving or operating machinery after you have been given CITANEST.
You may be drowsy and your reflexes may be slow.
Drinking alcohol
Do not drink alcohol while you are being given CITANEST.
If you drink alcohol while you are being given CITANEST your blood pressure may drop making you feel dizzy and faint.
Looking after your medicine
CITANEST will be stored by your doctor or pharmacist under the recommended conditions.
It should be kept in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.
When to discard your medicine
Any CITANEST from a single dose container which is not used will be disposed of in a safe manner by your doctor or your pharmacist.
6. Are there any side effects?
Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being given CITANEST.
All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience any side effects, most of them are minor and temporary. However, some side effects may need medical attention.
CITANEST will prevent or relieve pain in most people, but it may have unwanted side effects.
See the information below and, if you need to, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if you have any further questions about side effects.
Less serious side effects
Less serious side effects | What to do |
| Speak to your doctor if you have any of these mild side effects and they worry you. These are all mild side effects of CITANEST. |
Serious side effects
Serious side effects | What to do |
If CITANEST is given wrongly, or if you are very sensitive to it, it sometimes causes:
| Tell your doctor or go straight to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital if you notice any of these serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention. These are all serious side effects. |
After an epidural injection you may develop a headache or backache which is not related to the medicine used. These can on rare occasions, last for some months after the injection is given.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people.
Reporting side effects
After you have received medical advice for any side effects you experience, you can report side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop taking any of your medicines.
7. Product details
This medicine is only available with a doctor's prescription.
What CITANEST contains
Active ingredient (main ingredient) |
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Other ingredients (inactive ingredients) |
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Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients.
What CITANEST looks like
CITANEST is a clear and colourless sterile solution for injection. It is available in a 50 mL glass vial in packs of 5 vials.
Australian Registration number: AUST R 12079
Who distributes CITANEST
Aspen Pharmacare Australia Pty Ltd
34-36 Chandos St
St Leonards NSW 2065
Australia
This leaflet was revised in June 2025.
Published by MIMS August 2025