Allerfin contains the active ingredient chlorpheniramine maleate which is an antihistamine. These medicines inhibit the release of histamine into the body that occurs during an allergic reaction. This product relieves some of the main symptoms of a severe allergic reaction.

This injection is usually given to you by your doctor or someone else trained to give it to you.

You must not be given Allerfin:

• If you are allergic to chlorpheniramine maleate or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6)
• If you are in a pre-coma state
• If you have had monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) antidepressive treatment within the past 14 days.

Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor before you are given Allerfin:

• If you are being treated for an overactive thyroid or enlarged prostate gland
• If you have epilepsy, glaucoma, very high blood pressure, heart, liver, asthma or chest diseases.

Other medicines and Allerfin
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.

 The following affect the way Allerfin works:

• MAOIs – these must not be given with Allerfin.

Allerfin may increase the effects of the following:

• Drugs that treat anxiety or help you to sleep
• Alcohol
• Psychotropic drugs (that change perception or behaviour)
• Atropine
• Phenytoin, for epilepsy.

Pregnancy and breast feeding
Tell your doctor before using any medicine.

Allerfin must not be given during pregnancy or breastfeeding unless your doctor believes it is essential.

Driving and using machines
Allerfin may cause drowsiness and make you sleepy. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this product affects you.

Allerfin contains benzyl alcohol, potassium, sodium and sodium metabisulphite
Allerfin contains benzyl alcohol. Each ampoule of Allerfin 10 mg/ml Solution for Injection contains 15 mg benzyl alcohol. Benzyl alcohol may cause allergic reactions.

Benzyl alcohol has been linked with the risk of severe side effects including breathing problems (called “gasping syndrome”) in young children. Do not give to your newborn baby (up to 4 weeks old), unless recommended by your doctor.

Do not use for more than a week in young children (less than 3 years old), unless advised by your doctor or pharmacist.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you are pregnant or breast‑feeding. This is because large amounts of benzyl alcohol can build-up in your body and may cause side effects (called “metabolic acidosis”).

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you have a liver or kidney disease. This is because large amounts of benzyl alcohol can build-up in your body and may cause side effects (called “metabolic acidosis”).

Allerfin contains potassium. Each ampoule of Allerfin 10 mg/ml Solution for Injection contains 0.0264 mmol (1.03 mg) potassium. This medicine contains potassium, less than 1 mmol potassium (39 mg) per ampoule, i.e. essentially ‘potassium-free’.

Allerfin contains sodium. Each ampoule of Allerfin 10 mg/ml Solution for Injection contains 0.0813 mmol (1.87 mg) sodium. This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per ampoule, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.

Allerfin contains sodium metabisulphite. Each ampoule of Allerfin 10 mg/ml Solution for Injection contains 1 mg sodium metabisulphite. It may rarely cause severe hypersensitivity reactions and bronchospasm.

This injection is usually given to you by your doctor or someone else trained to give it to you. You will be given the injection beneath your skin, or into a muscle, or directly into a vein.

Adults: The usual dose is 10 mg – 20 mg (1 or 2 ampoules), up to a maximum of 40 mg (4 ampoules) in 24 hours.

Use in children and adolescents: The dose will be calculated by the doctor, according to the child’s age or body weight:

The doctor may dilute Allerfin with 0.9% sodium chloride to make it easier to measure and inject the small amounts required for children.

When administered into a vein, the injection should be given slowly over a period of one minute to avoid a fall in blood pressure (hypotension) or central nervous system stimulation.

If you are given more Allerfin than you should
This product will be given to you under medical supervision. It is therefore unlikely that you will be given too much. However, if you feel unwell, you should tell your doctor immediately.

Symptoms of overdose include sedation, seizures, stopping of breathing (apnoea), convulsions, abnormal and sustained muscle contractions (dystonic reactions) and heart failure (cardiovascular collapse).

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

The most common side effect is sedation, which can range from slight drowsiness to deep sleep.

The following side effects have been reported:

• A stinging or burning feeling at the site of injection
• Giddiness or drowsiness if the drug is injected too quickly into a vein (this usually passes)
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhoea
• Feeling dizzy, weak, tired, unable to concentrate
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat, chest tightness, fall in blood pressure
• Dryness of the mouth, headache, anorexia, indigestion, abdominal pain, liver problems including jaundice, difficulty passing urine
• Muscular incoordination, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, irritability, depression, nightmares
• Allergic reactions (skin reactions, itching of raised bumps on the skin, sensitivity to light)
• Blood abnormalities.

Elderly people may become confused and children may become excitable.

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

Store below 30°C.

Protect from light.

Store in the original package.

This medicine should be used immediately after opening. Once opened, any unused contents should be discarded.

After dilution: Chemical and physical in-use stability has been demonstrated for 24 hours at 2-8°C. From a microbiological point of view, the product should be used immediately. If not used immediately, in-use storage times and conditions prior to use are the responsibility of the user.

Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the package after “EXP”. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.

Do not use this medicine if you notice any visible signs of deterioration.

Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.