Patient was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking Dilaudid as follows:
- Dilaudid has the potential to increase the intracranial pressure. Maintain a close watch for signs of elevated intracranial pressure, such as, headache, vomiting, double vision, and confusion. Individuals with history of head injury, curvature of the spine, and intracranial lesions are at increased risk for elevated intracranial pressures. Report any such findings to your physician immediately for a change in plan of care to be considered.
- Avoid using Dilaudid along with other medications that have a potential to cause respiratory depression, such as, muscle relaxants, sedatives, and antianxiety medications. Though they cause mild respiratory depression individually, they can have an additive effect when combined with Dilaudid and thus, precipitate severe respiratory depression.
- Do not take Dilaudid with alcohol. Both alcohol and Dilaudid depress the respirations. When taken together, their effects on respirations can get added up and lead to severe respiratory depression, coma, and can even be fatal. Also, though Dilaudid individually does not cause much damage to the liver, combining Dilaudid with alcohol can increase the chance for liver injury.
- Dilaudid is metabolized by the liver and individuals with history of compromised liver function cannot metabolize Dilaudid and this can lead to increased blood levels of Dilaudid for longer duration, leading to toxicity. Dilaudid should be avoided or used with extreme caution in such individuals. Observe compliance with any labs ordered for evaluation of hepatic function.
