0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion is a solution of sodium chloride in water. Sodium chloride is a
chemical substance (often called “salt”) found in the blood. 0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion is used
to treat: • a loss of body water, for example after being sick or having diarrhoea (hypertonic
extracellular dehydration) • a lower than normal volume of blood in the body (hypovolaemia) 0.225%
Sodium Chloride infusion may also be used to deliver or to dilute other medicines for infusion.

Do NOT receive 0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion if you are suffering from any of the following
conditions • lower levels of chloride in the blood than normal (hypochloraemia) • lower levels of sodium
in the blood than normal (hyponatraemia) • severe kidney problems causing lower than normal or no
urine production (oliguria or anuria) • higher than normal levels of water or sodium in the blood (fluid or
sodium retention) • uncompensated heart failure. This is heart failure that is not adequately treated
and causes symptoms such as: – shortness of breath. – swelling of the ankles.• build up of fluid under
the skin, affecting all parts of the body (general oedema) • liver disease that causes fluid to build up
within the abdomen (ascitic cirrhosis) If a medicine has been added to 0.225% Sodium Chloride
Infusion, the Package Leaflet of the added medicine must be consulted to determine whether or not
you can receive the solution.
Warnings and precautions
Please tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions: • any type of
heart disease or poor heart function • poor kidney function • respiratory failure (lung disease)(special
monitoring may be required in the above conditions) • raised production of the hormone aldosterone
(aldosteronism) when there is a larger volume of blood in the blood vessels than there should be
(hypervolaemia) • high blood pressure (hypertension) • high blood pressure during pregnancy
(preeclampsia) • any other condition associated with sodium and fluid retention (when the body retains
too much sodium or water), such as treatment with steroids (See also below “Taking other medicines”)
• if you have a condition that could cause high levels of vasopressin, a hormone regulating fluid in your
body. You may have too much vasopressin in your body because, for example: - you have had a
sudden and serious illness - you are in pain - you have had surgery - you have infections, burns or
brain disease - you have diseases linked to your heart, liver, kidneys or central nervous system
- because you are taking certain medicines (see also below “Other medicines and 0.225% Sodium
Chloride Infusion”). This may increase the risk of low levels of sodium in your blood and can lead to
headache, nausea, seizures, lethargy, coma, swelling of the brain and death. Brain swelling increases
the risk of death and brain damage. People who are at higher risk of brain swelling are: - children -
women (particularly if you are of a fertile age) - people who have problems with their brain fluid levels,
for example, because of meningitis, bleeding in the skull or a brain injury. Some patients are at higher
risk for having or developing a too low sodium concentration in your blood (hyponatraemia). In general
this applies to: • young and old people • women • anyone with a condition such as low levels of oxygen
in your blood (hypoxemia) • drinking a lot due to a dry mouth (psychogenic polydipsia) • if you have
recently been operated on • if you have certain diseases of the nervous system • if you are taking
certain antiepileptic and psychiatric medicines.
Other medicines and 0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion
Please tell your doctor or nurse if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other
medicines. It is particularly important that you inform your doctor if you are taking: • corticosteroids

(anti-inflammatory medicines).• carbenoxolone (an anti-inflammatory medicine used to treat stomach
ulcers) These medicines can cause the body to accumulate sodium and water, leading to:
– tissue swelling due to fluid collection under the skin (oedema) – high blood pressure (hypertension) •
Lithium (used to treat psychiatric illness) • Some medicines act on the hormone vasopressin.These
may include: - anti-diabetic medication (chlorpropamide) - cholesterol medicine (clofibrate)
- some cancer drugs (vincristine, ifosfamide, cyclophosphamide) - selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (used to treat depression) - antipsychotics - opioids for severe pain relief - medicines for
pain and/or inflammation (also known as NSAIDs) - medicines that imitate or strengthen the effects of
vasopressin such as desmopressin (used to treat increased thirst and urination), terlipressin (used to
treat bleeding of the gullet) and oxytocin (used to induce labour) - anti-epileptic medication
(carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine) - diuretics (water tablets).
0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion with food and drink
You should ask your doctor about what you can eat or drink.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask
your doctor or nurse for advice before taking this medicine. If another medicine is to be added to your
solution for infusion during pregnancy or breast-feeding you should: • consult your doctor • read the
Package Leaflet of the medicine that is to be added.
Driving and using machines
Ask your doctor or nurse for advice before driving or using machines.

0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion will be given to you by a doctor or nurse. Your doctor will decide on
how much you need and when it is to be given. This will depend on your age, weight, condition, the
reason for treatment and whether or not the infusion is being used to deliver or dilute another
medicine. The amount you are given may also be affected by other treatments you are receiving. You
should NOT be given 0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion if there are particles floating in the solution or
if the pack is damaged in any way. 0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion will usually be given to you
through a plastic tube attached to a needle in a vein. Usually a vein in your arm is used to give you the
infusion. However, your doctor may use another method to give you the medicine. Before and during
the infusion, your doctor will monitor: • the amount of fluid in your body • the acidity of your blood and
urine • the amount of electrolytes in your body (particularly sodium, in patients with high level of
vasopressin, or are taking other medicines which increase the effect of vasopressin). This is especially
important for children as they have a limited ability to regulate fluids and electrolytes. Any unused
solution should be thrown away. You should NOT be given an infusion of 0.225% Sodium Chloride
Infusion from a bag that has been partly used.
If you receive more 0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion than you should
If you are given too much 0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion (overinfusion), or it is given too fast, this
may lead to the following symptoms: • build up of water in the body (oedema) • too much water in the
blood (haemodilution) • heart problems • acidification of the blood (acidosis), leading to tiredness,
confusion, lethargy and increased breathing rate If 0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion is given too fast
when you have higher than normal levels of salts in the blood (hypertonicity), swelling of the brain
(brain oedema) is possible, especially if you often have higher than normal levels of sodium in the
blood (hypernatraemia). If you develop any of these symptoms you must inform your doctor
immediately. Your infusion will be stopped and you will be given treatment depending on the
symptoms. If a medicine has been added to your 0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion before
over-infusion occurs, that medicine may also cause symptoms.
If you stop receiving your 0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion
Your doctor will decide when to stop giving you this infusion. If you have any further questions on the
use of this medicine, ask your doctor or nurse.

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. • too much
fluid in the body (overhydration) which may lead to more frequent urination (polyuria) • changes in the
concentrations of the chemicals in the blood (electrolyte disturbances) • heart failure, if you suffer from
heart disease or fluid in the lungs (pulmonary oedema) • low levels of sodium in the blood that may be
acquired during hospitalization (nosocomial hyponatraemia) and related neurological disorder (acute
hyponatraemic encephalopathy). Hyponatraemia can lead to irreversible brain injury and death due to
cerebral oedema/swelling (see also section 2 “Warnings and precautions”). The side effects that may
occur due to the administration technique include: • fever (febrile response) • infection at the site of
infusion • local pain or reaction (redness or swelling at the site of infusion) • irritation and inflammation
of the vein into which the solution is infused (phlebitis). This can cause redness, pain or burning and
swelling along the path of the vein into which the solution is infused • the formation of a blood clot
(venous thrombosis) at the site of infusion, which causes pain, swelling or redness in the area of the
clot • escape of the infusion solution into the tissues around the vein (extravasation). This can damage

the tissues and cause scarring. Other side effects noted with similar products (sodium chloride
containing solutions) include: • acidification of the blood (hyperchloraemic metabolic acidosis) •
reactions with the following symptoms have been reported: - hives (urticaria) which may be localised to
a part of the body or widespread - fever (pyrexia) - skin rash - chills - itching (pruritus) - decreased
blood pressure • Other infusion site reactions: - hives at the infusion site. If a medicine has been added
to the solution for infusion, the added medicine may also cause side effects. These side effects will
depend on the medicine that has been added. You should read the Package Leaflet of the added
medicine for a list of possible symptoms.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse.
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. Do not store above 30°C.
0.225% Sodium Chloride Infusion does not require special storage conditions. 0.225% Sodium
Chloride Infusion should NOT be given to you after the expiry date which is stated on the bag after
EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month. You should not be given Sodium 0.45
Infusion, if there are particles floating in the solution or if the unit is damaged
in any way.