MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
Department of Pharmacy
Department of Nursing
Critical Care
| Generic Name: | Vecuronium |
| Trade Name: | Norcuron |
| Action: | Neuromuscular blocking agent |
| Indications: | Production of skeletal muscle paralysis during mechanical ventilation |
| Administration Guidelines: | |
| Usual Dosage Range and Route: | Loading Dose 5 - 10 mg IV bolus over 1 -3
minutes *loading dose usually given prior to starting maintenance* Maintainance Dose 1 - 10 mg /hour as titrated to patient response and frequently evaluate adequate level of paralysis and train of four monitoring. |
| Standard Concentrations: | Microinfusion with 50 mg / 50 ml |
| Special Considerations: | - Paralytic therapy should be started
only after adequate sedation therapy has been initiated - Administer only to a patient on a ventilator - Ongoing sedation should be maintained and evaluated periodically - Has no effect on pain threshold - Action may be potentiated by diuretics, benzodiazepines, aminoglycosides, clindamycin - Use with caution in patients with poor renal function - Adequate level of paralysis is generally considered to be 1 - 2 out of 4 on train of four electrical nerve stimulation |
| Precautions and Side Effects: | - Hypotension - Paralytic Ileus - Bronchospasm - Tachycardia |
revised 09/03