Bicarb 25% Injection

Bicarb 25% Injection is indicated in treating metabolic acidosis and other conditions requiring systemic alkalinisation. It is also used to increase urinary pH to increase the solubility of certain weak acids, in treatment of certain intoxications to decrease renal absorption of the drug, severe diarrhoea accompanied by loss of bicarbonate, and poisoning by salicylates or methyl alcohol. Bicarb 25% Injection may also be used to treat patients who have taken too many tricyclic antidepressants only after other resuscitation methods have been attempted.

Bicarb 25% Injection contains Sodium bicarbonate, which acts as an electrolyte replenisher and systemic alkaliser, reducing the acid in the blood. Bicarb 25% Injection helps reduce the amount of acid in the body after a heart attack in patients who have too much potassium in their blood or too much acid.

Bicarb 25% Injection will be administered by a healthcare professional; do not self-administer. In some cases, you may experience specific common side effects, such as injection site reactions, irritability, muscle spasms, and low levels of potassium in the blood. You should talk to your doctor if the side effects persist or worsen.

Consult your doctor if you are pregnant, planning for pregnancy or breastfeeding. Please consult your doctor if you have any concerns regarding the usage of Bicarb 25% Injection in children. Keep your doctor informed about your health condition and medications to rule out any side effects/interactions.

Bicarb 25% Injection is indicated in the treatment of metabolic acidosis caused due to diabetes, hepatitis, starvation, shock, cardiac arrest, renal insufficiency, severe dehydration, severe primary lactic acidosis, Addison’s disease or administration of acidic drugs and other conditions requiring systemic alkalinisation. It is also used to increase urinary pH to increase the solubility of certain weak acids, in treatment of certain intoxications to decrease renal absorption of the drug, severe diarrhoea accompanied by loss of bicarbonate, and poisoning by salicylates or methyl alcohol. Bicarb 25% Injection may also be used to treat patients who have taken too many tricyclic antidepressants only after other resuscitation methods have been attempted. Bicarb 25% Injection acts as an electrolyte replenisher and systemic alkaliser. Thereby reducing the acid in the blood. Bicarb 25% Injection helps reduce the amount of acid in the body after a heart attack in patients who have too much potassium in their blood or too much acid.

• Injection site reactions
• Irritability
• Muscle spasms
• Low levels of potassium in the blood

Do not take Bicarb 25% Injection if you are allergic to any of its components; if you have kidney failure, heart failure, high blood pressure, low blood calcium/potassium/chloride, high blood sodium/pH, kidney stones, fluid retention, or hypoventilation (breathing problems). Inform your doctor if you have congestive heart failure, oedema with sodium-retaining conditions, or renal insufficiency. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant, planning for pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Drug-Drug Interactions: Inform your doctor if you are taking corticosteroids (prednisone), potassium supplements, antiarrhythmic agents (quinidine, flecainide), CNS stimulants (amphetamine), decongestants (ephedrine, pseudoephedrine), pain killer (aspirin), barbiturates, anti-diabetic (chlorpropamide), anti-hypertensives (mecamylamine), medicines used to treat Alzheimer's disease (memantine), medicines of an acidic nature (tetracycline, doxycycline or methenamine).

Drug-Food Interactions: No interactions found/established.

Drug-Disease Interactions: Inform your doctor if you have kidney failure, heart failure, high blood pressure, low blood calcium/potassium/chloride, high blood sodium/pH, kidney stones, fluid retention, or hypoventilation (breathing problems).

• PREDNISONE
• QUINIDINE
• FLECAINIDE
• AMPHETAMINE
• EPHEDRINE
• PSEUDOEPHEDRINE
• ASPIRIN
• CHLORPROPAMIDE
• MECAMYLAMINE
• MEMANTINE
• TETRACYCLINE
• DOXYCYCLINE
• METHENAMINE

• Stay hydrated.
• Avoid smoking and alcohol consumption. 
• Maintain a healthy weight by regular exercising.
• Include foods rich in nutrients and potassium.
• Eat small, frequent meals slowly if you have diarrhoea.

• False positive Labstix for urine protein may result due to the high urinary alkalinity produced by sodium bicarbonate. Therefore, inform the person doing the tests that you are on treatment with Bicarb 25% Injection.
• Regular monitoring of serum electrolyte concentration is advised.

Metabolic acidosis is an electrolyte disorder characterised by an acid-base imbalance in the body. The main causes of metabolic acidosis are loss of bicarbonate, increased acid production, and lowered kidney ability to excrete excess acids.

Drug intoxication: Drug intoxication is a condition that follows the administration of a psychoactive substance and results in disturbances in the level of consciousness, perception, cognition, behaviour, or other psychophysiological responses and functions.

Diarrhoea: It occurs when there is a frequent need to empty the bowels, characterised by loose and watery stools. The causes of diarrhoea include food intolerance, food allergy, adverse reaction to a medicine, viral infection, bacterial infection, intestinal disease, parasitic infection, and stomach or gallbladder surgery. The symptoms of diarrhoea include nausea, abdominal pain, cramps, dehydration and bloating, frequent urge to empty the bowels, and a large volume of stools or watery stools.