Green Pages
Medicines
warning!
hydrocortisone
(cortisol)
Hydrocortisone fights swelling and
itching and can be used to treat rashes.
It also helps treat allergic shock.
Often comes in: creams or ointment of
1%; tablets of 5, 10, and 20 mg; liquid for
injection; powder for mixing for
injections of various strengths.
How to use:
For allergic shock (see p. 466), inject
500 mg into muscle. Repeat in 4 hours if
needed. Also give other drugs.
WARNING: Pregnant and
breastfeeding women should
not use this medicine regularly
— only in emergencies to treat
allergic shock.
magnesium sulfate
Magnesium sulfate is used to stop
convulsions in pregnant women with
eclampsia.
Important: Injecting magnesium
sulfate requires a big needle and may
be uncomfortable. You can split the
dose in half and give 2 smaller doses,
1 in each buttock. If you have it, you
could also use a little lidocaine to lessen
the pain.
Often comes in: liquid for injection of
10%, 12.5%, 25%, or 50%.
How to use:
To stop a convulsion in a woman with
eclampsia (see p. 182), inject 10 grams
of 50% solution into muscle. If necessary,
give another dose after 4 hours.
Other drugs that may work: diazepam.
lidocaine
(lignocaine)
Lidocaine is an anesthetic. It blocks pain
in the part of the body where it is
injected. It can be used to prevent pain
while sewing tears or episiotomies, or
during a manual vacuum aspiration.
Important: Check the label: only use
lidocaine without epinephrine because
the epinephrine can stop the flow of
blood to the area and cause great
damage.
Often comes in: liquid for injection in
strengths of 0.5%, 1%, or 2%.
WARNING: Only use this drug if
a woman’s blood pressure is over
160/110 or if she is having a
convulsion. Stop using this drug
and get medical help immediately
if her breathing slows to less than
16 breaths a minute or if she has
not urinated for 4 hours.
Women with kidney problems
should not use magnesium
sulfate.
How to use:
For a local anesthetic, inject
5 to 30 ml 1% solution in the skin.
A Book for Midwives (2010)
483