Note: This document contains side effect information about norepinephrine. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply to the brand name Levophed.
Applies to norepinephrine: intravenous solution.
Serious side effects of Levophed
Along with its needed effects, norepinephrine (the active ingredient contained in Levophed) may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking norepinephrine:
More common
- Blurred vision
- chest pain or discomfort
- headache
- lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting
- nervousness
- pounding in the ears
- slow, fast, or irregular heartbeat
- unusual tiredness or weakness
Incidence not known
- Blue lips and fingernails
- confusion
- coughing that sometimes produces a pink frothy sputum
- difficult, fast, noisy breathing
- dizziness, fainting, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
- increased sweating
- itching of the skin
- numbness and tingling of the face, fingers, or toes
- pain in the arms legs, or lower back, especially in the calves or heels upon exertion
- pale, bluish-colored, cold hands or feet
- pale skin
- swelling in the legs and ankles
- weak or absent pulses in the legs
Other side effects of Levophed
Some side effects of norepinephrine may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Incidence not known
- Anxiety
For Healthcare Professionals
Applies to norepinephrine: injectable solution, intravenous solution.
General
If plasma volumes are not corrected, hypotension may recur when this drug is discontinued, or blood pressure may be maintained at the risk of severe peripheral and visceral vasoconstriction (e.g., decreased renal perfusion) with diminution in blood flow and tissue perfusion with subsequent tissue hypoxia and lactic acidosis and possible ischemic injury. Overdoses or conventional doses in hypersensitive patients (e.g., hyperthyroid patients) can cause severe hypertension with violent headache, photophobia, stabbing retrosternal pain, pallor, intense sweating, and vomiting.[Ref]
Local
Frequency not reported: Extravasation necrosis[Ref]
Cardiovascular
Frequency not reported: Ischemic injury, bradycardia, arrhythmia, blood pressure increased, hypertension, pallor, stabbing retrosternal pain[Ref]
Nervous system
Frequency not reported: Headache
Dermatologic
Frequency not reported: Sweating[Ref]
Gastrointestinal
Frequency not reported: Vomiting[Ref]
Ocular
Frequency not reported: Photophobia[Ref]
Metabolic
Frequency not reported: Plasma volume depletion[Ref]
Psychiatric
Frequency not reported: Anxiety[Ref]
Respiratory
Frequency not reported: Respiratory difficulty, dyspnea
Other
Frequency not reported: Gangrene[Ref]
