WHAT IS THIS MEDICINE AND WHAT IS IT USED FOR?
Natriclo contains sodium chloride 0.9% — commonly known as normal saline
or physiological saline. This is a sterile salt and water solution that closely
matches the salt concentration found naturally in your blood. It is one of the
most widely used solutions in medicine. It is used to: replace fluid and salt
(sodium and chloride) that has been lost through illness, vomiting, diarrhoea,
excessive sweating, or surgery; flush intravenous (IV) cannulas and catheters
to keep them clear and working; dilute or dissolve other medicines before they
are given by injection or drip (as a compatible diluent); irrigate wounds,
eyes, or body cavities; and as a carrier solution for nebulised medicines (to
be breathed in through a nebuliser). Natriclo in 10mL ampoules is typically
used in hospital, clinic, or home nursing settings.
3. HOW TO TAKE THIS MEDICINE
Natriclo is administered by healthcare professionals — it is not a
medicine you take by mouth or self-administer without proper training. The
volume given depends entirely on the patient's needs, the clinical situation,
and the specific purpose (fluid replacement, flushing, or dilution). For IV
line flushing: typically 5 to 10mL per flush. For fluid replacement: volumes
and rates are prescribed by a doctor based on fluid balance assessment. For
medicine dilution: volume depends on the specific medicine being prepared. Only
trained healthcare staff should prepare and administer intravenous solutions.
Each ampoule is single-use and sterile. Once opened, use immediately and
discard any unused portion — do not store an open ampoule. Before drawing up
the solution, check the ampoule for cracks, particles, or cloudiness — do not
use if the solution is not clear and colourless. Check the expiry date on every
ampoule before use.
⚠ PATIENT TIP: If you are a patient receiving IV
fluid treatment, you may be given this solution as a drip over several hours.
Tell your nurse if you notice the drip site becoming swollen, red, or painful —
this could mean the IV cannula has slipped out of the vein (called
infiltration) and the fluid is going into the surrounding tissue instead.
4. POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
|
How Common? |
Side Effects |
|
Generally Very Safe
When Used Correctly |
Sodium chloride 0.9%
is generally very well tolerated. When used correctly it has very few side
effects. |
|
Possible with
Excessive Volumes |
Fluid overload (too
much fluid given too quickly): swollen ankles, breathlessness, increased
blood pressure — particularly a concern in patients with heart failure or
kidney problems. Hypernatraemia (too much sodium in the blood) with excessive
administration. Dilutional acidosis with very large volumes. |
|
Local Reactions (at
injection site) |
Pain, redness, or
swelling at the IV site (phlebitis or infiltration). These should be reported
to the nurse promptly. |
5. WHO SHOULD NOT TAKE THIS MEDICINE
Large volumes of sodium chloride 0.9% should not be given to patients
with significant fluid overload, heart failure, severe kidney disease, or high
sodium levels (hypernatraemia). For most flushing and dilution uses, the very
small volumes involved (5–10mL) carry minimal risk in virtually all patients.
⚠ FLUID OVERLOAD RISK: In patients with heart
failure, kidney disease, or severe liver disease, even moderate volumes of IV
fluid can cause dangerous fluid accumulation. Fluid balance must be carefully
monitored.
⚠ SINGLE-USE AMPOULES: Each ampoule is for
one-time use only. Never store or reuse an opened ampoule — this risks
introducing contamination and infection into the intravenous line.
⚠ CHECK BEFORE USE: Always inspect each ampoule
for clarity, particles, and cracks before use. Discard any ampoule that does
not look perfectly clear.
6. MEDICINES THAT INTERACT WITH THIS TREATMENT
Sodium chloride 0.9% is chemically compatible with most IV medicines, but
compatibility should always be verified before mixing any medicine into saline
— some drugs precipitate or lose potency when combined. Incompatibilities
include certain phosphate salts (precipitation risk), amphotericin B, and some
antibiotics at high concentrations. Always check a pharmaceutical compatibility
reference before preparing IV admixtures.
7. HOW TO STORE THIS MEDICINE
Store at room temperature below 25°C. Protect from direct sunlight and
frost. Do not freeze. Keep in the original packaging. Keep out of reach of
children.
8. PRESCRIPTION REQUIREMENT
|
Field |
Details |
|
Status |
May be used as a
Prescription Only Medicine (POM) or General Sale List (GSL) depending on
intended use and jurisdiction. For IV use: hospital/clinical setting only. |
9. GUIDANCE FOR PATIENTS & CAREGIVERS
As a patient, this solution will be given to you by a nurse or doctor.
You do not need to do anything yourself other than let your nurse know if you
notice any discomfort, swelling, or redness around the drip site. If you are
receiving a long fluid drip, try to keep the arm with the drip relatively still
and comfortable. Ring your call bell or tell your nurse if the drip alarm goes
off, or if you feel any sudden chest tightness or breathlessness while
receiving the fluid.
10. PHARMACIST & PRESCRIBER NOTES
|
Field |
Details |
|
Clinical Dispensing
Notes |
Single-use ampoule —
discard unused portion immediately. Confirm compatibility before use as a
diluent for any IV medicine — consult IV compatibility reference (e.g.
Trissel's or local formulary). Fluid overload risk in cardiac and renal
patients — flag for prescriber review if large volumes are requested. Inspect
for clarity, particulates, and ampoule integrity before dispensing. Store at
room temperature — do not freeze. For ward stock: rotate stock to use
earliest expiry first. Normal saline (0.9%) is isotonic — do not confuse with
hypertonic saline preparations (e.g. 3% NaCl) which carry different risks. |
11. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What is normal saline and why is it used so widely in hospitals?
Normal saline (sodium chloride 0.9%) has the same salt concentration as
your blood plasma, making it safe to give directly into a vein. It does not
damage blood cells or upset the body's fluid balance when given in appropriate
amounts. This makes it useful for almost everything from flushing IV lines to
replacing lost fluid.
Q: Is this the same as the saline used to clean wounds?
Yes — wound irrigation saline is also sodium chloride 0.9%. The same
sterile solution is used for IV use, wound cleaning, eye irrigation, and
nebuliser diluent, though the packaging and delivery method differ.
Q: Why does the drip site sometimes get swollen or sore?
This can happen if the IV cannula (the small plastic tube in the vein)
slips out of the vein or the vein becomes inflamed (called phlebitis or
infiltration). Tell your nurse straight away — the cannula will be resited to a
fresh vein.
bloodstream, which can cause a serious infection (bacteraemia or
septicaemia).
Q: Is normal saline the same as drinking a glass of salty water?
No — the saline used in hospitals is precisely formulated, completely
sterile, and given directly into the bloodstream. Drinking salty water does not
have the same effect and should not be done as a substitute for medical fluid
replacement.