Warnings for Rezenopy
Included as part of the "PRECAUTIONS" Section
Precautions for Rezenopy
Risk Of Recurrent Respiratory And Central Nervous System Depression
The duration of action of most opioids may exceed that of REZENOPY nasal spray resulting in a return of respiratory and/or central nervous system depression after an initial improvement in symptoms. Therefore, it is necessary to seek emergency medical assistance immediately after administration of the first dose of REZENOPY nasal spray and to keep the patient under continued surveillance. Administer additional doses of REZENOPY nasal spray if the patient does not adequately respond or responds and then relapses back into respiratory depression, as necessary [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION]. Additional supportive and/or resuscitative measures may be helpful while awaiting emergency medical assistance.
Risk Of Limited Efficacy With Partial Agonists Or Mixed Agonist/Antagonists
Reversal of respiratory depression by partial agonists or mixed agonist/antagonists such as buprenorphine and pentazocine, may be incomplete. Larger or repeat doses of naloxone hydrochloride may be required to antagonize buprenorphine because the latter has a long duration of action due to its slow rate of binding and subsequent slow dissociation from the opioid receptor [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
Buprenorphine antagonism is characterized by a gradual onset of the reversal effects and a decreased duration of action of the normally prolonged respiratory depression.
Precipitation Of Severe Opioid Withdrawal
The use of REZENOPY nasal spray in patients who are opioid-dependent may precipitate opioid withdrawal characterized by the following signs and symptoms: body aches, diarrhea, tachycardia, fever, runny nose, sneezing, piloerection, sweating, yawning, nausea or vomiting, nervousness, restlessness or irritability, shivering or trembling, abdominal cramps, weakness, and increased blood pressure. In neonates, opioid withdrawal may be life-threatening if not recognized and properly treated and may include the following signs and symptoms: convulsions, excessive crying, and hyperactive reflexes. Monitor the patient for the development of the signs and symptoms of opioid withdrawal.
Abrupt postoperative reversal of opioid depression after using naloxone hydrochloride may result in nausea, vomiting, sweating, tremulousness, tachycardia, hypotension, hypertension, seizures, ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, pulmonary edema, and cardiac arrest. Death, coma, and encephalopathy have been reported as sequelae of these events. These events have primarily occurred in patients who had pre-existing cardiovascular disorders or received other drugs that may have similar adverse cardiovascular effects. Although a direct cause and effect relationship has not been established, after use of naloxone hydrochloride, monitor patients with pre-existing cardiac disease or patients who have received medications with potential adverse cardiovascular effects for hypotension, ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation, and pulmonary edema in an appropriate healthcare setting. It has been suggested that the pathogenesis of pulmonary edema associated with the use of naloxone hydrochloride is similar to neurogenic pulmonary edema, i.e., a centrally mediated massive catecholamine response leading to a dramatic shift of blood volume into the pulmonary vascular bed resulting in increased hydrostatic pressures.
There may be clinical settings, particularly the postpartum period in neonates with known or suspected exposure to maternal opioid use, where it is preferable to avoid the abrupt precipitation of opioid withdrawal symptoms. In these settings, consider use of an alternative, naloxonecontaining product that can be titrated to effect and, where applicable, dosed according to weight [see Use In Specific Populations].
Patient Counseling Information
Advise the patient to read the FDA-approved patient labeling (PATIENT INFORMATION and Instructions for Use).
Recognition Of Opioid Overdose
Instruct patients and their family members or caregivers about how to recognize the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose such as the following:
- Extreme somnolence -inability to awaken a patient verbally or upon a firm sternal rub.
- Respiratory depression -this can range from slow or shallow respiration to no respiration in a patient who is unarousable.
- Other signs and symptoms that may accompany somnolence and respiratory depression include the following:
- Miosis
- Bradycardia and/or hypotension
Risk Of Recurrent Respiratory And Central Nervous System Depression
Instruct patients and their family members or caregivers that, since the duration of action of most opioids may exceed that of REZENOPY nasal spray, they must seek immediate emergency medical assistance after the first dose of REZENOPY nasal spray and keep the patient under continued surveillance [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION, WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Limited Efficacy For/With Partial Agonists Or Mixed Agonist/Antagonists
Instruct patients and their family members or caregivers that the reversal of respiratory depression caused by partial agonists or mixed agonist/antagonists, such as buprenorphine and pentazocine, may be incomplete and may require higher doses of naloxone hydrochloride or repeat administration of REZENOPY nasal spray, using a new nasal spray [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION, WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Precipitation Of Severe Opioid Withdrawal
Instruct patients and their family members or caregivers that the use of REZENOPY nasal spray in patients who are opioid dependent may precipitate opioid withdrawal [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS, ADVERSE REACTIONS].
Administration Instructions
Instruct patients and their family members or caregivers to:
- Ensure REZENOPY nasal spray is present whenever persons may be intentionally or accidentally exposed to an opioid overdose (i.e., opioid emergencies).
- Administer REZENOPY nasal spray as quickly as possible if a patient is unresponsive and an opioid overdose is suspected, even when in doubt, because prolonged respiratory depression may result in damage to the central nervous system or death. REZENOPY nasal spray is not a substitute for emergency medical care [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
- Lay the patient on their back, tilt the patient’s head back while supporting the neck and administer REZENOPY nasal spray into one nostril. [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
- Use each nasal spray only one time [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
- Turn patient on their side as shown in the Instructions for Use and call for emergency medical assistance immediately after administration of the first dose of REZENOPY nasal spray. Additional supportive and/or resuscitative measures may be helpful while awaiting emergency medical assistance [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
- Monitor the patient and administer an additional dose of REZENOPY nasal spray using a new REZENOPY nasal spray every 2 to 3 minutes, if the patient is not responding or responds and then relapses back into respiratory depression. Administer REZENOPY nasal spray in alternate nostrils with each dose [see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION].
- Replace REZENOPY nasal spray before its expiration date.
Nonclinical Toxicology
Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment Of Fertility
Carcinogenesis
Long-term animal studies to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of naloxone have not been completed.
Mutagenesis
Naloxone was weakly positive in the Ames mutagenicity and in the in vitro human lymphocyte chromosome aberration test but was negative in the in vitro Chinese hamster V79 cell HGPRT mutagenicity assay and in the in vivo rat bone marrow chromosome aberration study.
Impairment Of Fertility
Reproductive studies conducted in mice and rats at doses 2-times and 4-times, respectively, a human dose of 20 mg/day (from two nasal sprays of REZENOPY) based on body surface area comparison, demonstrated no adverse effects on fertility of naloxone hydrochloride.
Use In Specific Population
Pregnancy
Risk Summary
Life-sustaining therapy for opioid overdose should not be withheld (see Clinical Considerations). Available data from retrospective cohort studies on naloxone use in pregnant women have not identified a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage, or other adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. In animal reproduction studies, no embryotoxic or teratogenic effects were observed in mice and rats administered naloxone hydrochloride during organogenesis at doses equivalent to 2-times and 4-times, respectively, a human dose of 20 mg/day (2 sprays of REZENOPY) (see Data).
The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown. All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively.
Clinical Considerations
Disease-associated maternal and/or embryo/fetal risk
An opioid overdose is a medical emergency and can be fatal for the pregnant woman and fetus if left untreated. Treatment with REZENOPY for opioid overdose should not be withheld because of potential concerns regarding the effects of REZENOPY on the fetus.
Data
Animal Data
Naloxone hydrochloride was administered during organogenesis to mice and rats at doses 2times and 4-times, respectively, a human dose of 20 mg (two REZENOPY nasal sprays) based on body surface area comparison. These studies demonstrated no embryotoxic or teratogenic effects due to naloxone hydrochloride.
Lactation
Risk Summary
There is no information available on the presence of naloxone in human or animal milk, the effects of the drug on the breastfed infant, or the effects of the drug on milk production.
Published studies in lactating women have shown that naloxone does not effect prolactin and oxytocin hormone levels. Naloxone is minimally orally bioavailable.
Pediatric Use
The safety and effectiveness of REZENOPY for known or suspected opioid overdose as manifested by respiratory and/or central nervous system depression have been established in pediatric patients Use of naloxone hydrochloride in pediatric patients is supported by adult bioequivalence studies coupled with evidence from the safe and effective use of other naloxone hydrochloride drug products. No pediatric studies were conducted for REZENOPY nasal spray.
Absorption of naloxone hydrochloride following intranasal administration in pediatric patients may be erratic or delayed. Even when the opiate-intoxicated pediatric patient responds appropriately to naloxone hydrochloride, he/she must be carefully monitored for at least 24 hours, as a relapse may occur as naloxone hydrochloride is metabolized.
In opioid-dependent pediatric patients, (including neonates), administration of naloxone hydrochloride may result in an abrupt and complete reversal of opioid effects, precipitating an acute opioid withdrawal syndrome. Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, unlike opioid withdrawal syndrome in adults, may be life-threatening if not recognized, and should be treated according to protocols developed by neonatology experts [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
In settings such as in neonates with known or suspected exposure to maternal opioid use, where it may be preferable to avoid the abrupt precipitation of opioid withdrawal symptoms, consider use of an alternate naloxone-containing product that can be dosed according to weight and titrated to effect.
Also, in situations where the primary concern is for infants at risk for opioid overdose, consider whether the availability of alternate naloxone-containing products may be better suited than REZENOPY nasal spray.
Geriatric Use
Geriatric patients have a greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy. Therefore, the systemic exposure of naloxone hydrochloride can be higher in these patients.
Clinical studies of naloxone hydrochloride did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 and over to determine whether they respond differently from younger subjects. Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients.