Tetracaine is a local anaesthetic applied to skin or mucous membranes to numb the area before minor procedures: eye drops, skin ointments, throat sprays. It works within minutes and the effect lasts about 30–60 minutes.
Also known as: Pontocaina, Tetracaine HCl
No documented drug–drug interactions for this medicine.
No documented food or drink interactions.
Local anaesthetics may worsen symptoms in decompensated thyrotoxicosis (tachyarrhythmias) — caution.
Assess thyroid status before high-dose procedures.
Prontuário (local anaesthetics — systemic precautions).
Tetracaine with epinephrine solution — caution in uncontrolled hypertensives (systemic vasoconstrictor absorption).
Prefer epinephrine-free solutions in decompensated hypertensives.
Prontuário (local anaesthetics with epinephrine — cardiovascular precautions).
Topical local anaesthetic (mucosae, minor procedures); systemic absorption is negligible in topical formulations and there is no restrictive Annex 1 entry. Routinely used in obstetric procedures with no fetal risk signal.
Compatible for topical use; respect maximum doses if applied extensively (absorption).
Negligible systemic absorption — compatible with breastfeeding; avoid application to the breasts.
Prontuário Terapêutico INFARMED — 13.1 (Topical local anaesthetics); EMC-UK — Tetracaine SmPC (surface anaesthesia).
Clinical and educational support tool. The information does not replace a medical prescription or the opinion of a qualified healthcare professional.
Reversible blockade of sensory nerve conduction (and motor at high doses) with onset in 1–5 min and 30–60 min topical duration.
Blocks voltage-gated sodium channels in the axon, preventing depolarisation and action potential propagation.
Topical: variable absorption depending on mucosa and vasoconstriction; rapid absorption on inflamed mucosa.
Hydrolysis by plasma pseudocholinesterase to PABA and diethylaminoethanol; minimal hepatic metabolism.
~ 6–8 h (ester; limited by rapid plasma hydrolysis).
Medicines from the same therapeutic group (ATC classification) or the same pharmacological class.
