Practical Sedative Use

Department of the Navy
Bureau of Medicine and Surgery

During your operational experience, situations requiring sedatives or narcotic analgesics may occur and include dislocated joints, fractures, burns, lacerations, intracranial bleeds, alcohol withdrawal, and rarely ventilator patients. All drug dosages in this chapter presume that the patient is the average, 70 kg adult male. Remember to always make dosage adjustments based upon the weight and sex of the patient.

These drugs are centrally acting anxiolytics and muscle relaxants. When prescribed alone and in usual dosages, they cause amnesia, minimal cardiac and respiratory depression, act as anticonvulsants, and have rare physical tolerance or dependence. These drugs do relieve muscle spasm. They are much more dangerous when combined with other drugs (narcotics/alcohol).

• Valium (diazepam)
  The effects of this drug last about 4 to 6 hours. For alcohol seizures, give 0.1 mg/kg IV. For intravenous (IV) sedation, use 2 to 3 mg every 5 to10 minutes until the patient is adequately sedated. The usual endpoint is slurred speech. Depending on the size of the patient, expect to prescribe 5 to15 mg.

• Versed (midazolam)
  It’s effects last about 2 to 6 hours. This medication is 2 to 3 times more potent than Valium and has basically the same indications. For IV use, the dose should be 0.5 to 1 mg, every 5 minutes until the desired effect is achieved. Administer this drug prudently and do not leave the patient alone. If given too quickly, or with other drugs, be prepared to support ventilation with a bag-valve-mask.

• Romazicon (flumazenil)
  This is an antagonist for benzodiazepine overdoses. It is administered 0.2 mg IV over 15 seconds, then 0.2 mg every one minute as needed, usually up to 1 mg total dose. Occasionally, multiple dosing or an infusion may be needed. It must be used with care in patients with high dose benzodiazepine tolerance (such as patients receiving long-term benzodiazepine treatment for seizure disorders) because it can initiate withdrawal symptoms. The 1 minute wait between dosage increments may need to be increased to 5 minutes in such patients. It is important that the minimal required dose be used.

Narcotics should be used slowly and carefully to minimize respiratory depression. If respiratory depression occurs, patient stimulation will often suffice to maintain ventilation. Remember, giving these types class of medications in combination with other drugs, such as sedatives, greatly enhances the effects of each type of drug.

• Morphine
  For pain control, give 0.1 mg/kg IV/IM. When administered intravenously, split into thirds and dose every 5 to 10 minutes until the patient is comfortable. If administered intravenously at a rapid rate, the patient may itch from histamine release. This can be treated with 25 to 50 mg IV of Benadryl. Morphine should last 4 to 6 hours once adequate analgesia is achieved.

• Fentanyl
  This drug is about 100 times more potent than morphine on a weight basis. For rapid pain relief use 50 to 100 mcg IV every 5 minutes. This will last for about an hour once pain relief is achieved. Use for short-term treatment.

• Sufentanil - Do not administer.

• Alfentanil - Do not administer.

• Demerol (meperidine)
  Give intramuscularly. Dosages in the 80 to 100 mg range are equivalent and have about the same effect as 10 mg of morphine. It may be combined with 50 mg of Vistaril (hydroxyzine) IM to improve pain relief.

• Narcan (naloxone).
  This drug is a specific narcotic antagonist that will reverse all effects of narcotics while having no pharmacological effects in the absence of concurrent narcotics. In low doses, the respiratory effects of narcotics will be reversed initially and then as larger amounts of Narcan are given, the analgesic qualities of the narcotics will be reversed. When excessive narcotic is inadvertently administered, patients will frequently respond to stimulation. If respiratory depression persists, treat with Narcan (0.4 mg of a narcan solution diluted to l0 ml) one ml at a time. Repeated dosing or an intravenous infusion may be required if respiratory depression is profound. Remember that once the patient receives naloxone, subsequent doses of narcotics will be relatively ineffective until the narcan is metabolized, at which time dramatic narcotic effects can occur if narcotics have been administered while the naloxone was in effect. It can initiate withdrawal symptoms in patients taking narcotics and may not last as long as the effects of some narcotics.

• Toradol (ketorolac)
  This is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) that has been found to possess narcotic quality pain relief without narcotic side effects. The dose is 30 mg IM followed by 15 mg IM every 6 hours. The oral dose is 10 mg orally every 6 hours. Dosage requirements can vary from patient to patient. Consult the package insert for specifics on dosing. Maximum duration of therapy is 5 days. This drug will have the typical NSAID side effect profile. Therefore, do not administer to patients with a history of peptic ulcer disease.

• Propofol
  A good drug, however don't administer this without clinical support and supervision.

• Ketamine
  A good drug, however don't administer this without clinical support and supervision.

• If you are not sure about a drug, look it up, because once given it cannot be retrieved.

• Label your syringes promptly and accurately.

• Before administering these drugs have a working suction apparatus on standby. Also have a working bag-valve with mask and oxygen available.

• Should a patient inadvertently develop respiratory depression, mask ventilation should suffice until recovery occurs or an antagonist is given. Do not rush to intubate the patient.

• If you have a patient who requires intubation, optimize your conditions before you start.

• If you have questions about the above, consult with an anesthetist or anesthesiologist early in your deployment.

• When possible, avoid mixing narcotics and benzodiazepines because your chances of having an unwanted side effect greatly increase.

(These examples are not meant to preempt initial ACLS or ATLS protocols.)

Case scenarios

• Seaman Smith, a 19 year old male, appears intoxicated, unconscious, and appears to be seizing. Follow the ACLS protocol, give IV fluids, suspect narcotic use and consider giving naloxone. Do a dextrostix or send blood sample for glucose. If seizure treatment is required, administer valium intravenously 5 mg every 2 to 3 minutes until seizures are controlled.

• LCDR Peabody, a 27 year old female, sustains a crush injury to her right leg. Follow the ATLS protocol. For pain relief, give IV morphine 3 mg every 5-10 minutes until comfortable, then tailor dosage to the patients needs every 4 -6 hours. Switch to Tylenol #3 or Percocet if necessary once the patient is stabilized and tolerating oral medications.

• Fireman Third Class Wazokicz, a 21 year old male, has a ruptured cerebral aneurysm and is on a ventilator awaiting medical evacuation (MEDEVAC). For endotracheal tube tolerance administer fentanyl bolus, 100 to 500 mcg, slowly, until desired effect is reached and then start an infusion. Typically an initial rate of 100 to 200 mcg per hour is sufficient and then it is titrated as indicated. Rapid bolus administration of fentanyl, especially in doses greater than 2 mcg/kg may precipitate chest wall rigidly. In the intubated patient, treatment of chest wall rigidity can be achieved with a neuromuscular blocking agent such as vecuronium or pancuronium. For acute chest wall rigidity combined with profound hemoglobin desaturation, succinylcholine, a depolarizing, rapid acting paralytic agent may need to be employed. Remember that succinylcholine and other muscle relaxants should only be used in extreme emergencies and may raise intracranial pressure, as well as require total ventilatory maintenance. For persistent agitation, versed may be required to obtain satisfactory sedation and a rate of 1 – 2 mg hour/IV is often sufficient. When paralyzing a patient, concurrent sedation is indicated and humane.

• Chief Mullarkey, a 36 year old male, severely sprained his left ankle and is on your ward with a bulky dressing on the injured extremity. He is complaining of severe pain. After ensuring that your dressing is not too tight and that he does not have a compartment syndrome, administer Toradol, 30 mg IM, followed by 15 mg IM every 6 hours for relief of pain.

1. Anesthesia Third Edition, Ronald D. Miller, Ed, Churchill Livingstone 1990.