noradrenaline tartrate at a glance
Medicine class
Adrenergic vasopressor
Licensed roles
Hypotensive emergencies and restoration of peri-operative blood pressure, depending on the product
Administration
Intravenous treatment given by experienced healthcare professionals with close monitoring
Venous access
The permitted route is product-specific: one presentation requires central access, while Vipranop permits peripheral or central access
What is noradrenaline tartrate used for?
The selected products have different licensed settings.
Treatment of hypotensive emergencies in adults weighing more than 50 kg with the selected emergency infusion presentation.
Restoration and maintenance of blood pressure in adults when spinal or general anaesthesia causes peri-operative hypotension, using Vipranop.
How does noradrenaline tartrate work?
Noradrenaline mainly stimulates alpha receptors in blood vessels, causing vasoconstriction and increased vascular resistance. It also stimulates beta-1 receptors in the heart, increasing contraction strength; the rise in blood pressure can produce a reflex slowing of the heart rate.
noradrenaline tartrate preparations and strengths
Solution for infusion
Route: Intravenous
Strengths: 0.08 mg/mL, 0.16 mg/mL, 1 mg/mL
Injection
Route: Parenteral
Strengths: 5 micrograms/mL
How to take noradrenaline tartrate
Noradrenaline is hospital treatment rather than a medicine taken by mouth. These selected presentations are ready to use and must be administered by appropriately experienced healthcare professionals.
The emergency infusion presentation is given through a central venous catheter using a controlled pump.
Vipranop may be injected or infused through a peripheral or central venous catheter in the peri-operative setting.
The selected solutions should not be diluted or mixed with other medicines.
The solution and infusion site are checked during administration.
noradrenaline tartrate side effects
Common or expected effects
- Headache, tremor, dizziness or anxiety have been reported, although their frequency cannot be estimated.
- Nausea, vomiting, palpitations or changes in heart rate have been reported, with frequency not known.
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe hypertension, chest pain, acute pulmonary oedema or dangerous heart-rhythm disturbance.
- Reduced circulation causing pale or cold skin, tissue ischaemia or, rarely, gangrene.
- Leakage outside the vein causing local irritation, tissue injury or necrosis.
- Acute heart failure, cardiogenic shock or stress cardiomyopathy.
- Breathing difficulty or significant reduction in urine output.
noradrenaline tartrate in pregnancy
Noradrenaline may reduce placental blood flow, slow the fetal heart rate and stimulate uterine contraction. It may be used when the pregnant woman's clinical condition requires it, after specialist assessment of maternal benefit and fetal risk.
noradrenaline tartrate while breastfeeding
Evidence during breastfeeding is limited. Vipranop's product information states that transfer into milk is unknown but harmful infant exposure is not expected because noradrenaline is not absorbed orally; cautious use should be decided by the specialist team.
noradrenaline tartrate interactions
The hospital team should review current and recent medicines because several combinations can exaggerate blood-pressure or cardiac effects.
Cyclopropane or halothane anaesthetics
The combination is contraindicated because severe ventricular arrhythmias may occur.
Tricyclic or serotoninergic-adrenergic antidepressants
These can cause sudden severe hypertension with possible arrhythmia.
Common questions about noradrenaline tartrate
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Why is noradrenaline tartrate given?
It raises dangerously low blood pressure by narrowing blood vessels and supporting cardiac contraction. The licensed setting depends on the selected product.
Can noradrenaline tartrate be given through a peripheral cannula?
This depends on the product. Vipranop permits peripheral or central venous use, whereas the selected emergency infusion presentation requires a central venous catheter.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.