Compositions comprising ephedrine or an ephedrine salt and methods of making and using same

1. A method of administering ephedrine sulfate to a subject having hypotension or an elevated risk of developing hypotension in need thereof, the method comprising:

drawing a sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product comprising 5 mg/mL ephedrine sulfate, 9 mg/mL sodium chloride or 5% dextrose, and no preservative from a sealed container into a syringe;

not diluting the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product after the step of drawing the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product from the sealed container; and

injecting the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product into the subject using the syringe,

wherein the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product is prepared by a process comprising:

combining ephedrine sulfate, sodium chloride or dextrose, and water to form a solution comprising 5 mg/mL of ephedrine sulfate, 9 mg/mL sodium chloride or 5% dextrose, and no preservative, and having an initial pH level;

thereafter filtering the solution through a membrane filter to form a filtered solution;

thereafter placing the filtered solution into a container; and

sealing the filled container; and

wherein, after storage at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity for 12 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product has a pH level within 0.5 pH units of the initial pH level.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the initial pH level is about 4.5 to about 7.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of combining further comprises combining the ephedrine sulfate, sodium chloride or dextrose, and water, with sodium hydroxide or acetic acid to achieve the initial pH level.

4. A method of administering ephedrine sulfate to a subject having hypotension or an elevated risk of developing hypotension in need thereof, the method consisting essentially of:

drawing a shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition from a sterile premixed pharmaceutical product into a syringe; and

injecting the composition into the subject using the syringe,

wherein the shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition consists essentially of:

5 mg/mL ephedrine sulfate;

9 mg/mL sodium chloride;

no preservative; and

water, and

wherein the shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition is prepared by a process comprising:

combining ephedrine sulfate, sodium chloride, and water to form a solution comprising 5 mg/mL ephedrine sulfate and 9 mg/mL sodium chloride;

placing the solution into vials;

sealing the filled vials; and

terminally sterilizing the sealed vials.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of sealing the filled vials comprises sealing the filled vials with coated rubber stoppers.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of terminally sterilizing the sealed vials comprises heating the sealed vials at about 122° C. for about 15 minutes.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein a pH level of the shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition is within 0.5 pH units of an initial pH level after storage at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity for 12 months.

8. The method of claim 4 , wherein a pH level of the shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition is within 0.5 pH units of an initial pH level after storage at 40° C. and 75% relative humidity for 6 months.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein the process for preparing the shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition further comprises filtering the solution comprising 5 mg/mL ephedrine sulfate and 9 mg/mL sodium chloride before the step of placing the solution into vials.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein the shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition has an initial pH level of 4.5 to 7.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein, after storage at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity for 12 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product has a bacterial endotoxin level of not more than 7 EU/mg.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein, after storage at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity for 12 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product has a bacterial endotoxin level of not more than 1.7 EU/mg.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein, after storage at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity for 12 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product has a bacterial endotoxin level of not more than 1 EU/mg.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein, after storage at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity for 12 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product has a bacterial endotoxin level of not more than 0.2 EU/mg.

15. The method of claim 4 , wherein after storage at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity for 12 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition has a bacterial endotoxin level of not more than 7 EU/mg.

16. The method of claim 4 , wherein, after storage at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity for 12 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition has a bacterial endotoxin level of not more than 1.7 EU/mg.

17. The method of claim 4 , wherein, after storage at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity for 12 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition has a bacterial endotoxin level of not more than 1 EU/mg.

18. The method of claim 4 , wherein, after storage at 25° C. and 60% relative humidity for 12 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate composition has a bacterial endotoxin level of not more than 0.2 EU/mg.

19. A method of administering ephedrine sulfate to a subject having hypotension or an elevated risk of developing hypotension in need thereof, the method comprising:

drawing a sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product comprising 5 mg/mL ephedrine sulfate, 9 mg/mL sodium chloride or 5% dextrose, and no preservative from a sealed container into a syringe;

not diluting the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product after the step of drawing the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product from the sealed container; and

injecting the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product into the subject using the syringe,

wherein the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product is prepared by a process comprising:

combining ephedrine sulfate, sodium chloride or dextrose, and water to form a solution comprising 5 mg/mL of ephedrine sulfate, 9 mg/mL sodium chloride or 5% dextrose, and no preservative, and having an initial pH level;

thereafter filtering the solution through a membrane filter to form a filtered solution;

thereafter placing the filtered solution into a container; and

sealing the filled container; and

wherein, after storage at 40° C. and 75% relative humidity for 6 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product has a pH level within 0.5 pH units of the initial pH level.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the initial pH level is about 4.5 to about 7.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of combining further comprises combining the ephedrine sulfate, sodium chloride or dextrose, and water, with sodium hydroxide or acetic acid to achieve the initial pH level.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein, after storage at 40° C. and 75% relative humidity for 6 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product has a bacterial endotoxin level of not more than 7 EU/mg.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein, after storage at 40° C. and 75% relative humidity for 6 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product has a bacterial endotoxin level of not more than 1.7 EU/mg.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein, after storage at 40° C. and 75% relative humidity for 6 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product has a bacterial endotoxin level of not more than 1 EU/mg.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein, after storage at 40° C. and 75% relative humidity for 6 months, the sterile, shelf-stable ready-to-use ephedrine sulfate pharmaceutical product has a bacterial endotoxin level of not more than 0.2 EU/mg.