What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Zinc Sulphate Injection. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you being given Zinc Sulphate Injection against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about being given this medicine, ask your doctor.
Keep this leaflet.
You may need to read it again.
What Zinc Sulphate Injection is used for
Zinc Chloride Injection is a concentrated solution and must be diluted before it is used.
Zinc is an essential trace mineral. Zinc Chloride Injection is added to:
- compatible intravenous fluids
- intravenous solutions (IV) that are given as a source of nutrition (Total Parenteral Nutrition-TPN) for a patient unable to ingest food.
This medicine prevents a deficiency of zinc by maintaining the levels of this trace element in the blood.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
Before you are given Zinc Sulphate Injection
When you must not be given it
You should not be given Zinc Sulphate if you have an allergy to zinc or zinc sulphate.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
- shortness of breath
- wheezing or difficulty breathing
- swelling of the face, lips, tongues or other parts of the body
- rash, itching or hives on the skin.
Zinc Sulphate Injection must be diluted before it is injected into a muscle or vein.
You should not be given this medicine if the solution is discoloured, cloudy, turbid, or a precipitate or particles are present.
The solution is normally a clear, colourless solution.
You should not be given this medicine if, when added to another IV solution, it causes the IV solution to precipitate, become cloudy, turbid, discolour, or particles are visible.
Zinc Sulphate Injection may not be compatible with the IV solution.
You should not be given this medicine if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering, or if the expiry date on the pack has passed.
If you are given this medicine after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well.
If you are not sure whether you should be given this medicine, talk to your doctor.
Before you are given it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical condition:
- kidney disease
- low levels of copper in the blood.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you are given Zinc Sulphate Injection.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including medicines that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket, health food shop naturopath or herbalist.
Some medicines and Zinc Sulphate may interfere with each other.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while being given Zinc Sulphate.
How Zinc Sulphate Injection is given
Zinc Sulphate must only be given by a doctor or nurse.
This medicine must be diluted before use.
This medicine should not be given by mouth. It is caustic and could burn the mouth.
This medicine is usually given by mixing it with an IV solution and then infusing it into a vein.
Your doctor will decide what dose of this medicine you will receive and for how long you will receive it for. This depends on your medical condition and other factors, such as your weight.
Care should be taken so that no Zinc Sulphate Injection is accidentally spilt onto the skin or into the eye, as it is caustic.
In this case the Zinc Sulphate Injection solution should be thoroughly washed away.
If you are given too much (overdose)
Zinc Sulphate Injection must only be given by a doctor or nurse so an overdose is not likely to occur.
Immediately contact your doctor or go to Accident or Emergency at your nearest hospital if you have the following symptoms of an overdose:
- dizziness or light headedness
- vomiting and diarrhoea
- breathlessness which may be worse on lying down
- yellowing of the skin and or eyes
- passing less urine than normal.
While you are being given Zinc Sulphate Injection
Things you must do
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you have been given Zinc Sulphate Injection.
Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who treat you that you have been given this medicine.
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you have been given this medicine.
It may affect other medicines used during surgery.
If you are about to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you have been given this medicine.
It may interfere with the results of some tests.
Things to be careful of
If you feel light headed or faint when getting out of bed or standing up, get up slowly.
Standing up slowly, especially when you get up from beds or chairs, will help your body get used to the change in position and blood pressure. If this problem continues to get worse talk to your doctor.
Avoid contact of Zinc Sulphate Injection with the skin or eyes.
This medicine can burn the skin. Wash with plenty of water if it comes into contact with the eyes or skin.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being given Zinc Sulphate Injection.
Zinc sulphate helps most people with low levels of zinc in their bodies, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
Ask your doctor to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:
- tiredness
- headache
- shortness of breath when exercising
- dizziness
- pale skin.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may occur in some people.
Some side effects such as anaemia or low levels of copper in the blood can only be found when your doctor does tests from time to time to check your progress.
After being given Zinc Sulphate Injection
Storage
Zinc Sulphate will be stored in the pharmacy or on the ward of a hospital. The injection is kept in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C.
Zinc Sulphate will be opened for use on you. It will be used only once and then it will be discarded. It will never be stored after it is opened or used for more than one person.
Product description
What it looks like
Zinc Sulphate Injection 5% is a clear, colourless solution in a clear glass vial sealed with a grey rubber stopper and aluminium seal with a white plastic flip off cap.
Zinc Sulphate Injection is supplied in a 1mL vial.
Ingredients
Zinc Sulphate Injection 5% contains 50mg/mL of zinc sulphate heptahydrate in water for injections.
This medicine does not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine, alcohol, dyes or any preservatives.
Manufacturer
Zinc Sulphate Injection 5% is made in Australia by:
Phebra
332 Burns Bay Road
Lane Cove NSW 2066
Australia
Zinc Sulphate Injection 5% 1mL vial
AUST R 22857
Phebra Product Code - INJ063
This leaflet was prepared in March 2007.
This leaflet was last amended in December 2009
Version 03