Sucrose 24%

Question 1

What is sucrose 24%?

Answer 1

Sucrose 24% (2 mL vial) is an oral, sterile, liquid preparation used as a short term analgesic in infants. When small amounts of sucrose are placed on an infant’s tongue it causes an increase of endogenous opioids resulting in approximately 5-8 mins of analgesia.

Mucosal absorption with hepatic metabolism.

Onset: Minutes
Duration: 5-8 min
Half-life: NA

Question 2

Indications for sucrose 24%?

Answer 2

1. Short term procedural pain management (e.g. IV cannulation).
2. Distress due to pain

Question 3

Contraindications for sucrose 24%?

Answer 3

1. Patients over 12 months
2. Sucrose intolerance (congenital sucrase-isomaltase deficiency)
3. Fructose intolerance
4. Glucose-galactose malabsorption
5. Concurrent muscle relaxant/paralysis therapy

Question 4

Precautions for sucrose 24%?

Answer 4

Nil

Question 5

Side effects of sucrose 24%?

Answer 5

1. Hyperglycaemia

Question 6

What is the dose of sucrose 24% for an infant?

Answer 6

0-1 month 0.1 mL (2 drops)

2-12 months 0.5 mL (10 drops)