Chlorhexidine - Availability

Availability

Chlorhexidine is present in oral rinses and skin cleansers, and in small quantities it is used as a preservative.

As a component of mouth-rinses, chlorhexidine is sometimes marketed under the brand names Foam Safe, Hexicleans, Peridex, Periochip, Perichlor or Periogard Oral Rinse. In the UK it is mainly marketed under the brand name Corsodyl (or Chlorohex); in Italy, Germany, Switzerland and other European countries as ethanol-free Curasept ADS; in Spain as Cristalmina; in Germany as Chlorhexamed; in Australia and New Zealand as Savacol; in Greece as Chrolhexil (Intermed S.A.); in India as Suthol (G. D. Pharmaceuticals), Sterimax (Bioshields), Clohex or Dejavu-MW (QUADRA); in Venezuela as Perioxidina or Peridont, in Japan as Oronine and in some Central American countries as Clorexil.In Slovenia and Serbia it is known as Hibitan.

As a skin cleanser, it is marketed under brand names such as Hibiclens, Savinox plus (Bioshields), Surgiprep-CHX (Bioshields), Hibiscrub, or Dexidin mainly as a surgical scrub, Hexigard 4 as surgical hand wash, Hexigard HR as hand rub (Mil Laboratories Pvt Ltd). It is also used in some acne skin washes. It is also used as part of a treatment for athlete's foot. In some countries, it is available by prescription only. In the United States, it used to only be available by prescription, but is now available over-the-counter.

For wounds/lacerations, it is available in the United States by prescription as a wound debridement and cleansing system under the brand name Irrisept.

Together with benzalkonium chloride it is one of the active ingredients in Dermol, an emollient medicine that helps treat and prevent dry, rough, and itchy skin associated with conditions such as dermatitis and eczema.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a patient safety alert on the use of medical devices and medicinal products containing chlorhexidine.

Further details can also be found in the MHRA alert, http://www.mhra.gov.uk/home/groups/dts-bs/documents/medicaldevicealert/con197920.pdf

Further guidance on anaphylaxis is available from NICE, the Resuscitation Council and The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI).

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