RSI Flashcards
What is RSI?
RSI is the virtually simultaneous administration of a sedative and a neuromuscular blocking agent to render a patient rapidly unconscious and flaccid in order to facilitate emergency endotracheal intubation and to minimize the risk of aspiration.
What could happen if a paralytic is administered without a sedative?
The patient may be fully aware of his or her environment, including pain, but unable to respond.
Inhumane, AND allows for potentially adverse physiologic responses to airway manipulation, including tachycardia, hypertension, and elevated intracranial pressure.
How does Etomidate work?
Sedative
Specifically, it’s a sedative-hypnotic agent that acts directly on the gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) receptor complex, blocking neuroexcitation and producing anesthesia
Etomidate typical adult dose?
20mg
More specifically, 0.3mg/kg
Etomidate time to effect?
15-45 seconds
Etomidate duration of action?
3-12 minutes
Etomidate is the most _____ _____ of the sedative agents used for RSI.
Hemodynamically neutral
Etomidate DOES NOT stimulate this.
Histamine release
True or false:
Etomidate provides analgesic effects.
False, so it does not blunt the noxious stimulation of the upper airway during laryngoscopy and intubation.
Therefore, for patients in whom this is a concern (eg, patients with cardiovascular disease or elevated intracranial pressure), an opioid analgesic, such as fentanyl, is often given during the pretreatment phase of RSI
The hemodynamic stability associated with Etomidate makes it a particularly useful medication for the intubation of _____.
hypotensive patients
…as well as for patients with intracranial pathology, when hypotension must be avoided.
Etomidate causes a mild increase in _____.
airway resistance
…but may be used in patients with bronchospasm
The major controversy surrounding etomidate stems from the _____ _____ _____ associated with its use.
Reversible adrenocortical suppression.
A single dose of etomidate causes a transient but measurable decrease in the level of circulating cortisol that occurs in response to the administration of exogenous ACTH, although cortisol levels do not fall below the normal physiologic range. This effect does not persist beyond 12 to 24 hours.
In a nutshell, when intubating the critically ill patient with possible adrenal insufficiency, the clinician must weigh the theoretical risk of cortisol suppression against the hemodynamic instability that may be caused by alternative induction agents.
Etomidate should NOT be used as a(an) _____ or in _____ _____ _____ for maintenance of sedation after intubation.
infusion or in repeated bolus doses
How do benzodiazepines work?
Sedation.
Benzodiazepines cause sedation and amnesia through their effects on the gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) receptor complex.
The most rapidly acting benzodiazepine commonly used for RSI is _____.
Midazolam (Versed)
Induction dose for Midazolam?
0.1-0.3mg/kg IV push
routinely 0.2mg/kg
Midazolam’s time to effect?
30-60 seconds
Midazolam’s duration of action?
15-30 minutes
True or false:
Benzodiazepines provide analgesia?
False, but they do possess anticonvulsant effects, making them an effective agent for RSI in patients with status epilepticus.
In its induction dose, Midazolam causes _____.
moderate hypotension, with an average drop in mean arterial blood pressure in healthy patients of 10 to 25 percent.
*This tendency to induce hypotension limits Midazolam’s usefulness in the setting of hypovolemia or shock.
For patient’s in shock, _____ or _____ are suggested as induction agents.
Etomidate or Ketamine, because of their superior hemodynamic profiles.
_____ is frequently underdosed (common dose 0.05 mg/kg) when used for emergency department RSI.
Midazolam is often used for procedural sedation in much smaller doses than are required for RSI, which may contribute to underdosing.