Medications Flashcards
1
Q
Lorazepam/Ativan
A
- Class: Benzodiazepines (Sedation)
- Use: Long term sedation; intermittent therapy
- Starting Dose: 1 mg/hr
- Max Dose: 8 mg/hr
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 0.5 mg/hr q 30 minutes
- Duration/Half-life: 6–8 hr
- Nursing considerations: Propylene glycol toxicity (esp.w/ infusion); delirium; preferred BZD in cirrhosis.
2
Q
Versed/Midazolam
A
- Class: Benzodiazepines (Sedation)
- Use: Short term sedation, frequent Neuro checks
- Starting Dose: 1 mg/hr
- Max Dose: 10 mg/hr
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 1 mg/hr q 30 minutes
- Duration/Half-life: 2–4 hr
- Nursing considerations: Accumulates in adipose tissue; delirium; unpredictable elimination; less hypotension than propofol or dexmedetomidine
3
Q
Propofol/Diprivan
A
- Class: Phenol derivatives (Sedation)
- Use: Short term sedation, frequent Neuro checks
- Starting Dose: 5 mcg/kg/minute
- Max Dose: 80 mcg/kg/min
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 5 mcg/kg/min q 15 min
- Duration/Half-life: 3-10 min with short term use
- Nursing considerations: Hypotension ; change tubing every 12 hours; increases Triglycerides; Propofol related infusion syndrome
4
Q
Precedex/Dexmedetomidine
A
- Class: Alpha2-adrenergic agonists (Sedation)
- Use: Sedation, Intubation Avoids common side effects of other sedatives
- Starting Dose: 0.2 mcg/kg/hr
- Max Dose: 1.5 mcg/kg/hr
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 0.1 mcg/kg/hr q 15 minutes
- Duration/Half-life: 1-2 hr
- Nursing considerations: Avoids common side effects of other sedatives. Has some analgesic effects; can cause hypotension a/o bradycardia; intended for light sedation ; expensive
5
Q
Levophed/Norepinephrine
A
- Class: Alpha/beta agonists (Vasopressors)
- Use: Preferred vasopressor for most situations, less tachycardia than epinephrine or dopamine.
- Starting Dose: 5 mcg/minute
- Max Dose: 80 mcg/minute (1 mcg/kg/min)
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 1 mcg/min q 5 minutes
- Duration/Half-life: 1-2 min
- Nursing considerations: Notify provider at 30 mcg/kg/min. Max dosage may be increased with provider order; may be especially necessary in obese patients.
6
Q
Vasopressin/Pitressin
A
- Class: Posterior pituitary hormones (Vasopressors)
- Use: Usually 2nd line added on to norepinephrine (especially in septic shock) Elevate BP
- Starting Dose: 0.04 Units/minute
- Max Dose: 30 Units/hr
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 0.1 Units/hr q 30 minutes
- Duration/Half-life: 20 min
- Nursing considerations:Should not be used alone initially but can be used alone once catecholamine agent weaned off; higher doses have risk for Gi ischemia; is typically not titrated (on or off)
7
Q
Angiotensin II/Giapreza
A
- Class: Angiotensin II analogues (Vasopressors)
- Use: Elevate BP
- Starting Dose: 20 ng/kg/min
- Max Dose: 80 ng/kg/min
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 15 ng/kg/hr q 5 minutes
- Duration/Half-life: 1 min
- Nursing considerations:Monitor for arterial thrombotic and thromboembolic events. Monitor platelet count and observe patients for signs and symptoms of thrombocytopenia
8
Q
Dopamine/Inotropin
A
- Class: Adrenergics (Vasopressors)
- Use: Rarely used due to risk of arrhythmias; potentially useful for hypotension with bradycardia
- Starting Dose: 5 mcg/kg/min
- Max Dose: 40 mcg/kg/min
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 2.5mcg/kg/min q 5 minutes
- Duration/Half-life: <10 min after infusion
- Nursing considerations: High risk for tachyarrhythmias; shown to lead to worse outcomes in cardiogenic shock.
9
Q
Phenylephrine/Neosynephrine
A
- Class: Adrenergics Sympathomimetic (Vasopressors)
- Use: Hypotension with tachycardia and preserved cardiac output; neurogenic shock.
- Starting Dose: 40 mcg/min
- Max Dose: 360 mcg/min
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 20 mcg/min q 10 minutes
- Duration/Half-life: 15-20
- Nursing considerations: May be preferred in pts with severe tachycardia; provides no inotropic support; max dose may be increased with provider order
10
Q
Epinephrine
A
- Class: Adrenergics (Vasopressors)
- Use: Cardiogenic or anaphylactic shock; can be 2nd line agent for septic shock; often used as salvage therapy
- Starting Dose: 1 mcg/min
- Max Dose: 30 mcg/min
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 1 mcg/min q 5 minutes
- Duration/Half-life: 2-3 min
- Nursing considerations: Least selective vasopressor; reported to cause more Gi hypoperfusion compared to norepinephrine
11
Q
Amiodarone/Cordarone
A
- Class: Benzofuran derivatives (Antiarrhythmic)
- Use: Atrial and ventricular arrhythmias.
- Starting Dose: 1 mg/min x 6 hrs then 0.5 mg/min
- Max Dose: 1 mg/min
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 0.5 mg/hr q 6 hours
- Duration/Half-life: 9-36 days
- Nursing considerations: Extremely long half life; generally minimal effects on hemodynamics
12
Q
Diltiazem/ Cardizem
A
- Class: Calcium channel blockers (Antiarrhythmic)
- Use: Atrial fibrillation or flutter
- Starting Dose: 5 mg/hr
- Max Dose: 15 mg/hr
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 1 mg/hr q 10 minutes
- Duration/Half-life: 1-10 hr
- Nursing considerations: Contraindicated in acute decompensated heart failure. Don’t infuse for longer than 24 hours
13
Q
Isoproterenol/Isoprenaline
A
- Class: Calcium channel blockers (Antiarrhythmic)
- Use: Atrial fibrillation or flutter
- Starting Dose: 2 mcg/min
- Max Dose: 10 mcg/min
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 1 mcg/min q 10 minutes
- Duration/Half-life: 10-15 min
- Nursing considerations: Very Expensive
14
Q
Brevibloc/ Esmolol
A
- Class: Cardio selective beta blockers (Antiarrhythmic)
- Use: Tachyarrhythmias (usually SVT or Thyroid storm)
- Starting Dose: 50 mcg/kg/min
- Max Dose: 200 mcg/kg/min
- Range and frequency of titration: Increase or decrease by 25-50 mcg/kg/min q 5 min
- Duration/Half-life: 30 min after discontinuation of infusion
- Nursing considerations: Quick onset/offset; commonly accompanied by high infusion rate
15
Q
Milrinone/ Primacor
A
- Class: Bipyridine phosphodiesterase inhibitors (Intropes)
- Use: Heart failure exacerbation or other myocardial dysfunction(sepsis,s/p, CABG, ect.)
- Starting Dose: 0.375 mcg/kg/min
- Max Dose: 0.75 mcg/kg/min
- Range and frequency of titration: Generally not titrated.
- Duration/Half-life: 3–6 hr
- Nursing considerations: Can be used in patients receiving beta-blockers; causes more hypotension than dobutamine; should be adjusted for renal dysfunction; can cause thrombocytopenia.