sodium selenite pentahydrate: clinical use

Prescribing considerations

• Confirm deficiency and assess whether dietary correction is insufficient.
• Review other supplements and nutritional preparations to avoid cumulative selenium exposure.
• Choose oral or parenteral administration according to clinical circumstances and compatibility requirements.
• Parenteral preparations are for single use; avoid non-specific precipitation when preparing infusions.

Contraindications and cautions

• Hypersensitivity to sodium selenite pentahydrate or an excipient.
• Selenosis or other evidence of selenium poisoning.

Monitoring

• Measure whole-blood or serum selenium to confirm deficiency and evaluate response.
• Assess for gastrointestinal, hair, nail or neurological features if excess exposure is suspected.
• Interpret results alongside clinical context, nutrition and other selenium sources.

Clinical pharmacology

Sodium selenite is reduced to selenium intermediates that enter the body’s selenium pool and are incorporated into selenoproteins. Excess selenium is metabolised to methylated compounds and eliminated mainly through the kidneys.

Formulation and product differences

• The oral product is a clear, colourless single-use solution supplied in oral containers; larger containers include a measuring cup and pipette.
• The injection product is a clear, colourless single-use solution for intravenous or intramuscular administration.
• The injectable product may be mixed with sodium chloride infusion solution where compatibility requirements are met; reducing substances must be avoided.
• The injection contains less than 1 mmol sodium per millilitre and is considered essentially sodium-free.

Oral solution

Route: Oral

Strengths: 50 micrograms/mL, 100 micrograms, 500 micrograms

Injection

Route: Parenteral

Strengths: 50 micrograms/mL, 100 micrograms, 500 micrograms