Intravenous Fat Emulsion

Sepsis due to contamination of administration equipment and thrombophlebitis due to vein irritation from concurrently administered hypertonic solutions have been encountered. These are attributable to I.V. therapy in general or to the type of infusion administered.

Adverse reactions directly related to fat emulsions are of two types: (1) immediate (acute) and (2) long term (chronic). In studies of lipid products in general, the following immediate reactions have been noted: Allergic reactions, hyperlipemia, dyspnea, cyanosis, flushing, dizziness, headache, sleepiness, nausea, vomiting, hyperthermia, sweating, chest and back pain, thrombocytopenia (rarely in neonates), hypercoagulability and transient increases in liver enzymes.

The following reactions have been noted with long-term therapy with lipid infusions in general: Hepatomegaly, jaundice due to central lobular cholestasis, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, leucopenia, transient increases in liver function tests, overloading syndrome and the deposition of brown pigment ("fat pigment") in the reticuloendothelial tissue of the liver. The significance of this last occurrence and its cause are unknown.

Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Liposyn III (Intravenous Fat Emulsion)