About caffeine citrate
Central nervous system stimulant
Used for
- Treats apnea of prematurity in newborns
Usual dose in children
Premature newborns: 20 mg/kg caffeine citrate once, then 5 mg/kg daily, adjusted by clinician.
Common side effects
- Fast heart rate
- Restlessness or irritability
- Feeding problems
- Vomiting
Important warnings
- Used in premature infants under specialist supervision.
- Dose and monitoring depend on the infant’s age, weight, and clinical response.
- High doses can cause seizures or dangerous heart rhythm problems.
- Check the label carefully: caffeine citrate and caffeine base doses differ.
Pregnancy
Not applicable to the newborn indication; pregnancy use has not been established.
Breastfeeding
Not applicable to the newborn indication; caffeine passes into breast milk.
Interactions
- Cimetidine and ketoconazole may increase caffeine levels.
- Theophylline can add to caffeine’s effects.
- Caffeine may affect clearance of some medicines, including phenobarbital and phenytoin.
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 It may be incomplete or out of date.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.