Hydrocortisone Enema

• Tell all of your health care providers that you take this medicine. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• Talk with your doctor before you use other drugs or products on your skin.
• Do not put on cuts, scrapes, or damaged skin.
• Use care when putting on a large part of the skin or where there are open wounds. Talk with the doctor.
• This medicine may cause harm if swallowed. If hydrocortisone enema is swallowed, call a doctor or poison control center right away.
• Do not use this medicine for longer than you were told by your doctor.
• Use with care in children. Talk with the doctor.
• This medicine may affect growth in children and teens in some cases. They may need regular growth checks. Talk with the doctor.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks of using hydrocortisone enema while you are pregnant.
• Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about any risks to your baby.

Use this medicine as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.

• Use as you have been told, even if your signs get better.
• This medicine is for rectal use only. Do not take hydrocortisone enema by mouth.
• Follow how to use as you have been told by the doctor or read the package insert.
• Wash your hands before and after use.
• Shake well before use.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Use a missed dose as soon as you think about it.
• If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal time.
• Do not use 2 doses or extra doses.

If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

In severe ulcerative colitis, it is hazardous to delay needed surgery while awaiting response to medical treatment.

Damage to the rectal wall can result from careless or improper insertion of an enema tip.

In patients on corticosteroid therapy subjected to unusual stress, increased dosage of rapidly acting corticosteroids before, during, and after the stressful situation is indicated.

Corticosteroids may mask some signs of infection, and new infections may appear during their use. There may be decreased resistance and inability to localize infection when corticosteroids are used.

Prolonged use of corticosteroids may produce posterior subcapsular cataracts, glaucoma with possible damage to the optic nerves, and may enhance the establishment of secondary ocular infections due to fungi or viruses.

Usage in Pregnancy:

Since adequate human reproduction studies have not been done with corticosteroids, the use of these drugs in pregnancy, nursing mothers or women of child-bearing potential requires that the possible benefits of the drug be weighed against the potential hazards to the mother and embryo or fetus. Neonates born of mothers who have received substantial doses of corticosteroid during pregnancy should be carefully observed for signs of hypoadrenalism.

Average and large doses of hydrocortisone or cortisone can cause elevation of blood pressure, salt and water retention, and increased excretion of potassium. These effects are less likely to occur with the synthetic derivatives except when used in large doses. Dietary salt restriction and potassium supplementation may be necessary. All corticosteroids increase calcium excretion.

While on corticosteroid therapy, patients should not be vaccinated against smallpox. Other immunization procedures should not be undertaken in patients who are on corticosteroids, especially on high dose, because of possible hazards of neurological complications and a lack of antibody response.

Persons who are on drugs which suppress the immune system are more susceptible to infections than healthy individuals. Chicken pox and measles, for example, can have a more serious or even fatal course in non-immune pediatric patients or adults on corticosteroids. In such pediatric patients or adults who have not had these diseases, particular care should be taken to avoid exposure. How the dose, route and duration of corticosteroid administration affects the risk of developing a disseminated infection is not known. The contribution of the underlying disease and/or prior corticosteroid treatment to the risk is also not known. If exposed to chicken pox, prophylaxis with varicella zoster immune globulin (VZIG) may be indicated. If exposed to measles, prophylaxis with pooled intramuscular immunoglobulin (IG) may be indicated. (See the respective package inserts for complete VZIG and IG prescribing information.) If chicken pox develops, treatment with antiviral agents may be considered.

If corticosteroids are indicated in patients with latent tuberculosis or tuberculin reactivity, close observation is necessary as reactivation of the disease may occur. During prolonged corticosteroid therapy, these patients should receive chemoprophylaxis.

General:

Hydrocortisone Rectal Suspension, USP should be used with caution where there is a probability of impending perforation, abscess or other pyogenic infection; fresh intestinal anastomoses; obstruction; or extensive fistulas and sinus tracts. Use with caution in presence of active or latent peptic ulcer; diverticulitis; renal insufficiency; hypertension; osteoporosis; and myasthenia gravis.

Steroid therapy might impair prognosis in surgery by increasing the hazard of infection. If infection is suspected, appropriate antibiotic therapy must be administered, usually in larger than ordinary doses.

Drug-induced secondary adrenocortical insufficiency may occur with prolonged Hydrocortisone Rectal Suspension, USP therapy. This is minimized by gradual reduction of dosage. This type of relative insufficiency may persist for months after discontinuation of therapy; therefore, in any situation of stress occurring during that period, hormone therapy should be reinstituted. Since mineralocorticoid secretion may be impaired, salt and/or a mineralocorticoid should be administered concurrently.

There is an enhanced effect of corticosteroids on patients with hypothyroidism and in those with cirrhosis.

Corticosteroid should be used cautiously in patients with ocular herpes simplex because of possible corneal perforation.

The lowest possible dose of corticosteroid should be used to control the conditions under treatment, and when reduction in dosage is possible, the reduction should be gradual.

Psychic derangement may appear when corticosteroids are used, ranging from euphoria, insomnia, mood swings, personality changes, and severe depression, to frank psychotic manifestations. Also, existing emotional instability or psychotic tendencies may be aggravated by corticosteroids.

Aspirin should be used cautiously in conjunction with corticosteroids in hypoprothrombinemia.

Pediatric Use:

Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.

Growth and development of pediatric patients on prolonged corticosteroid therapy should be carefully observed.

Information for Patients:

Persons who are on immunosuppressant doses of corticosteroids should be warned to avoid exposure to chicken pox or measles. Patients should also be advised that if they are exposed, medical advice should be sought without delay.

Rx ONLY

How to use the retention enema:
Best results are achieved if the bowel is emptied immediately before the enema is given.

1.  Preparing the Medication for Administration
a Shake the bottle well to make sure that the suspension is homogeneous.
b Remove the protective sheath from the applicator tip. Hold the bottle at the neck so as not to cause any of the medication to be discharged.

2.  Assuming the Correct Body Position
a Best results are obtained by lying on left side with the left leg extended and the right leg flexed forward for balance.

b An alternative to lying on the left side is the “knee-chest” position as shown here.

3.  Administering the Retention Enema
a Gently insert the lubricated applicator tip into the rectum, pointed slightly toward the navel (umbilicus).
b Grasp the bottle firmly, then tilt slightly so that the nozzle is aimed toward the back, and squeeze slowly to instill the medication. Steady hand pressure will discharge most of the solution. After administering, withdraw and discard the used unit.

c  Remain in position for at least 30 minutes to allow thorough distribution of the medication internally. Retain the enema all night, if possible.

BayPharma™

Manufactured for
BayPharma™, Inc.
Baltimore, MD 21244
571-138051-0
Rev 06/08