Patient/caregiver was educated on contraindications for using Ryanodex as follows:
- Chronic use of ryanodex can induce inflammation of the pericardium, a membrane surrounding the heart, resulting in swelling of the pericardium, palpitations of heart, and episodes of chest pain. Secondary to inflammation of the pericardium, fluid gets built up around the heart. In severe cases of pericarditis, the fluid accumulation around the heart can exert pressure on the heart from all sides and prevent the heart from filling with blood to capacity when the heart relaxes. Low filling volume inside the heart during relaxation results in less volume of blood pumped out of the heart when the heart contracts. This contributes to less blood supply to vital organs, such as, brain, liver, and lungs, eventually compromising their function. So, ryanodex use could be avoided for a safer alternative in individuals with history of compromised cardiac function or used with extra caution with close watch for signs and symptoms of worsening heart failure, such as, progressively falling blood pressure numbers, worsening confusion & dizziness, deteriorating shortness of breath, and increasing fatigue & weakness.
- Do not take ryanodex along with alcohol, opioid pain medications, such as, hydrocodone and codeine, antipsychotic medications, antidepressant medications, anti-seizure medications, muscle relaxants, antihistamines, OTC cough syrups, and any other medications that carry a risk for depression of the central nervous system and the respiratory center, resulting in episodes of dizziness, confusion, difficulty breathing, and respiratory arrest. The individual influence of these medications on respirations and central nervous system can get added up, thus leading to severe respiratory depression, confusion, coma, and can even be fatal.
- Ryanodex intake can rarely lead to depression of respiratory center in the brain, exacerbation of SOB, and difficulty breathing. Low oxygen levels in the body with elevated carbon-di-oxide levels can contribute to altered levels of consciousness, sedation, slow & shallow breathing, severely compromised endurance and exercise tolerance, extreme fatigue, and development of seizures. Severe cases might also lead to emergency situations, such as, respiratory arrest and can result in serious debility and death. This risk with ryanodex can be even high when it is taken along with any other products and medications causing central nervous and respiratory depression, such as, alcohol, opioid pain medications, antidepressants, antianxiety medications, and sedatives. Ryanodex could either be avoided for a safer alternative or used with extra caution in individuals with history of breathing issues, such as, asthma and COPD, to prevent development of any episodes of severe SOB and respiratory arrest.
