tetracaine at a glance
Medicine class
Ester-type local anaesthetic
Usual role
Numbs intact skin before a blood sample or venous cannula
Important restriction
Not for broken skin, mucous membranes, eyes or ears
What is tetracaine used for?
The selected UK product is applied to intact skin as a local anaesthetic.
Numbing skin before venepuncture, including blood sampling or an intravenous injection.
Numbing skin before insertion of a venous cannula.
How does tetracaine work?
Tetracaine blocks sodium movement through nerve-cell channels, preventing local pain signals from being generated and transmitted. It also widens small blood vessels, which can cause temporary redness.
How to take tetracaine
Use only on intact, healthy skin at the site identified by a healthcare professional.
Place the gel on the skin without rubbing it in.
Cover the gel with the recommended film dressing.
Remove the dressing and wipe away the gel when instructed, then prepare the site as directed.
Avoid unnecessary contact, wash hands thoroughly afterwards and discard the used tube safely.
Rinse promptly and obtain professional advice if it contacts the eyes, ears, mouth, tongue or nose.
tetracaine side effects
Common or expected effects
- Temporary redness where the gel was applied.
- Local itching or swelling, less commonly.
- Blistering at the application site, very rarely.
Get urgent medical advice
- Seizure, twitching, marked confusion or other symptoms of systemic local-anaesthetic toxicity, particularly after swallowing.
- A severe or rapidly worsening local reaction.
tetracaine in pregnancy
Adequate pregnancy data are unavailable. Although fetal exposure is expected to be limited when used as licensed, the UK product information recommends avoiding it as a precaution. Discuss alternatives with the prescriber or pharmacist.
tetracaine while breastfeeding
It is unknown whether tetracaine or its metabolites enter breast milk, and risk to a breastfed infant cannot be excluded. The selected product is not recommended during breastfeeding; seek prescriber or pharmacist advice.
tetracaine interactions
No medicine interactions are listed as known for the selected gel. Tell the healthcare professional about other medicines and local anaesthetics being used.
Common questions about tetracaine
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
What is tetracaine gel used for?
It numbs intact skin before a needle enters a vein, including for blood sampling, intravenous injections or cannula insertion.
Can tetracaine gel be used on broken skin?
No. The selected product must only be applied to intact, healthy skin.
Can tetracaine gel be swallowed?
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.