Application

Novalgin® is used for the following diseases Novalgin®/Metamizol is a strong painkiller and has a fever-reducing effect. It is also used as an antispasmodic drug (spasmolytic) especially for biliary and urinary tract colics.

Severe pain and tumor pain
Gastrointestinal cramps
Cramps in the draining urinary tract
High fever

Side effects

Normally Novalgin® is well tolerated by the active substance metamizole, but as with all drugs there are adverse effects after ingestion. Possible side effects of Novalgin® are Patients with asthma may be more prone to asthma attacks after taking Novalgin®. There is also a risk for people with a certain enzyme deficiency (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency) or with functional disorders in the bone marrow (e.g. hemolytic anemia) because they may suffer from blood formation disorders.

A dreaded but rare side effect is agranulocytosis. Agranulocytosis is a sharp drop in the number of a certain subgroup of white blood cells, the granulocytes, and can be fatal. The body forms defense mechanisms (antibodies) against the granulocytes (cytotoxic immune reaction).

At first, rather uncharacteristic symptoms such as fever and a feeling of illness occur. Over time, lesions (ulcerations) and death (necrosis) of skin and mucous membrane cells occur. Novalgin® can also be administered as an infusion.

This can cause severe shock symptoms. Therefore it must be infused slowly. Other side effects may include nausea and vomiting.

This is then observed especially when opioids are administered at the same time. The concentration of Ciclospoprin A(immunosuppressive agent) in the blood can be reduced by Novalgin®, which reduces the effect.This can lead to inflammatory reactions again, which should be suppressed by Ciclosporin. For this reason caution is advised when taking Novalgin® and Ciclosporin at the same time.

Allergic reactions of the skin
Drop in blood pressure (hypotension)
Heavy drop of granulocytes (white blood cells) up to
Agranulocytosis with inflammatory mucosal changes
Sudden fever and
Sore throat

In a drug allergy, the immune system incorrectly reacts to the drug or components of the drug. Thus the immune system can also become active when taking Novalgin® and trigger various symptoms. The allergic reaction can range from harmless symptoms like itching to life-threatening conditions like anaphylactic shock.

However, hypersensitivity reactions occur relatively rarely. If itching of the skin occurs, it is usually accompanied by a red, nodular-stained skin rash. It can also lead to a runny nose, coughing and, more rarely, nausea or abdominal cramps.

If facial swelling, an itchy feeling on and under the tongue, palms of the hands and soles of the feet is felt, the medication should not be taken any further and a doctor should be consulted immediately. These warning symptoms may indicate serious allergic reactions with shortness of breath, heart chasing, cardiac arrhythmia and drop in blood pressure, which may ultimately lead to respiratory and cardiac arrest and death. Novalgin® is used for severe pain – including severe headaches and migraines.

Paradoxically, in rare cases Novalgin® can cause headaches. The headaches are probably the result of the drug’s antihypertensive effect. The headache may be accompanied by dizziness, tiredness or even fainting.

If headaches or other side effects occur, the treating doctor should be informed. The doctor can adjust the dose of the medication or check possible interactions with other medications taken. Novalgin® may have serious and dangerous side effects.

Therefore the intake should only be done after consulting a physician. As already described, allergies to Novalgin® can cause dangerous reactions. However, Novalgin® can also strongly influence the cells of the blood and lead to a so-called “Agranulocytosis“.

This leads to a strong reduction of granulocytes – white blood cells and defense cells – in the peripheral blood. As a result, the immune system can no longer fight bacteria and infections can occur with serious consequences. Another dangerous side effect of Novalgin® is its strong blood pressure lowering effect, which can occur especially when the drug is injected directly into the veins. This danger exists especially in patients who are already taking antihypertensive drugs (e.g. beta-blockers). This can lead to cardiac arrhythmia and failure of the heart to work properly, which can ultimately lead to cardiac arrest.