Syringe Driver Survey Database migration to MedicinesComplete - January 2023

Syringe Driver Survey Database has moved to MedicinesComplete and is no longer available on palliativedrugs.com.

It has been renamed to PCF’s Syringe Driver Database and is now accessed through Drug Compatibility Checker.

Drug Compatibility Checker, through MedicinesComplete is a new tool providing essential compatibility knowledge to support the administration of injectable drugs combining published data and clinical practice reports.

Find out more about Drug Compatibility Checker:https://about.medicinescomplete.com/publication/drug-compatibility-checker/

If you have a subscription to Palliative Care Formulary through MedicinesComplete, you will have access to PCF’s Syringe Driver Database through Drug Compatibility Checker, at no charge through 2023. 

To contribute to PCF’s Syringe Driver Database please continue to submit a clinical practice report using palliativedrugs.com here: https://www.palliativedrugs.com/syringe-driver-database.html

To learn more about a subscription to the Palliative Care Formulary through MedicinesComplete, please contact us here: https://info.medicinescomplete.com/sales

If you have any questions regarding access to PCF’s Syringe Driver Database or would like to renew your subscription to Palliative Care Formulary, please contact pharmpress-support@rpharms.com.

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MHRA warning regarding hyoscine butylbromide

7th April 2017

MHRA published a warning in February 2017 reminding health professionals about the risk of serious adverse effects with hyoscine butylbromide injection IV/IM in patients with underlying cardiac disease. This followed a recent fatality (myocardial infarction) and a subsequent recommendation from the coroner to clarify the cautions section in SPC. The MHRA stated that they had received 9 reports of patients who had died following receiving hyoscine butylbromide injection and published the following advice:

• hyoscine butylbromide injection can cause serious adverse effects including tachycardia, hypotension, and anaphylaxis
• these adverse effects can result in a fatal outcome in patients with underlying cardiac disease, such as those with heart failure, coronary heart disease, cardiac arrhythmia, or hypertension
• hyoscine butylbromide injection should be used with caution in patients with cardiac disease
• monitor these patients, and ensure that resuscitation equipment, and personnel who are trained how to use this equipment, are readily available
• hyoscine butylbromide injection remains contraindicated in patients with tachycardia.

Subsequently, the MHRA have reviewed their data and have corrected the total number of fatal outcomes attributable to hyoscine butylbromide to 8 (see clarification on the MHRA Drug safety update website 3 April 2017). However, the episodes lacked full data and it is difficult to interpret the specific relevance of the reports to use in a palliative care setting, where the CSCI route of administration is more likely than IV. PCF advises clinicians to remind themselves of the longstanding cautions relating to the use of any antimuscarinic in patients with cardiovascular disease, and to continue to balance the potential for benefit and harm on an individual patient basis.

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