About halothane
Volatile inhaled general anesthetic
Used for
- Induction and maintenance of general anesthesia during surgery.
Usual adult dose
Given by a trained anesthesia professional through a vaporizer; dose is adjusted to the patient and procedure.
Usual dose in children
Given by a trained anesthesia professional through a vaporizer; dose is adjusted to the child and procedure.
Common side effects
- Low blood pressure or slow heartbeat
- Breathing suppression
- Nausea and vomiting
- Rare severe liver injury or malignant hyperthermia
Important warnings
- Can trigger malignant hyperthermia, a life-threatening reaction.
- Rarely causes severe, sometimes fatal, liver injury; risk increases with repeat exposure.
- Requires specialist monitoring of breathing, heart rhythm, and blood pressure.
- Not for unsupervised use; administered only by trained anesthesia professionals.
Pregnancy
Used only when necessary for surgery; anesthesia decisions require specialist assessment.
Breastfeeding
A single anesthetic exposure is generally compatible once the patient is awake and able to feed safely.
Interactions
- Other anesthetics, opioids, and sedatives can increase breathing and heart suppression.
- Adrenaline and some other medicines may increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms.
- Succinylcholine can increase malignant hyperthermia risk in susceptible patients.
AI-generated from general medical knowledge, not from this product's official leaflet. It may be incomplete or out of date. Not medical advice — ask a pharmacist or doctor before making any decision.