All type of emergency and use emergency drug detail
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Cardiac | Cardiac arrest (VF, pulseless VT, asystole, PEA), STEMI, acute heart failure |
| Respiratory | Respiratory arrest, severe bronchospasm, laryngospasm, tension pneumothorax |
| Neurological | Stroke, status epilepticus, raised ICP, coma |
| Anaphylaxis | Severe allergic/anaphylactic reaction |
| Metabolic | Severe hypoglycemia, hyperkalemia, acidosis |
| Trauma | Hemorrhagic shock, traumatic arrest |
| Overdose/Toxicology | Beta-blocker OD, calcium channel blocker OD, opioid OD |
| Obstetric | Eclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage |
| Pediatric | Pediatric cardiac arrest, neonatal resuscitation |
Sources: Miller's Anesthesia 10e, Barash Clinical Anesthesia 9e, Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine, Plum & Posner's Diagnosis and Treatment of Stupor and Coma
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Catecholamine (α + β adrenergic agonist) |
| Mechanism | α effects → ↑ coronary & cerebral perfusion pressure during CPR; β effects → ↑ HR, contractility |
| Dose (Cardiac arrest) | 1 mg IV every 3–5 minutes (standard dose) |
| High-dose | Only in beta-blocker or calcium channel blocker overdose |
| Route | IV/IO preferred; IM (anterolateral thigh) for anaphylaxis |
| Timing | Early administration recommended for non-shockable rhythms (asystole, PEA) → improves ROSC & survival |
| Uses | Cardiac arrest, anaphylaxis, bronchospasm, hypotension |
| Pediatric dose | 0.01 mg/kg IV/IO (max 1 mg); 0.1 mg/kg via ET tube |
| Note | High-dose epinephrine NOT recommended routinely; β-adrenergic effects may increase myocardial work and reduce subendocardial perfusion |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Anticholinergic / Parasympatholytic |
| Mechanism | Blocks muscarinic receptors → ↑ HR, reduces secretions |
| Dose | 0.5–1 mg IV (bradycardia); repeat to max 3 mg |
| Pediatric | 0.02 mg/kg IV (min 0.1 mg) |
| Uses | Symptomatic bradycardia, organophosphate poisoning, pre-anesthetic (dry secretions) |
| Note | No longer recommended for PEA or asystole in ACLS (2010 onwards) |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Class III antiarrhythmic |
| Mechanism | Blocks K⁺ channels → prolongs action potential; also Na⁺, Ca²⁺, β-blocker effects |
| Dose (Cardiac arrest) | 300 mg IV bolus (first dose); 150 mg IV (second dose) |
| Dose (Stable VT) | 150 mg IV over 10 min, then 1 mg/min infusion |
| Indication | Shock-refractory VF/pulseless VT unresponsive to CPR, defibrillation, and vasopressor |
| Note | Improves ROSC and hospital admission rates, but NOT proven to improve long-term survival — Miller's Anesthesia 10e |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Class IB antiarrhythmic / Local anesthetic |
| Mechanism | Na⁺ channel blocker |
| Dose | 1–1.5 mg/kg IV bolus; repeat 0.5–0.75 mg/kg every 5–10 min; max 3 mg/kg |
| Maintenance | 1–4 mg/min infusion |
| Indication | Alternative to amiodarone for VF/pulseless VT; also for wide complex tachycardias |
| Note | May be considered as alternative to amiodarone per 2020 AHA Guidelines — Miller's Anesthesia 10e |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Endogenous nucleoside / Antiarrhythmic |
| Mechanism | Slows AV node conduction; transiently interrupts re-entry circuits |
| Dose | 6 mg rapid IV push (followed by saline flush); if no response → 12 mg (repeat once) |
| Half-life | < 10 seconds |
| Indication | SVT (AVNRT, AVRT) — drug of choice |
| Note | Must be given as FAST IV push with immediate saline flush due to ultra-short half-life |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Non-adrenergic vasopressor |
| Mechanism | Peripheral vasoconstriction (V1 receptors); also causes coronary and renal vasoconstriction |
| Dose | 40 units IV (single dose) |
| Status | Removed from ACLS algorithm (2015, reaffirmed 2020) — offers no advantage over epinephrine |
| Current use | Vasodilatory shock (septic shock) as adjunct |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Depolarizing neuromuscular blocker |
| Mechanism | Mimics acetylcholine at NMJ → sustained depolarization → flaccid paralysis |
| Dose | 1.5–2 mg/kg IV (RSI); 4 mg/kg IM if no IV access |
| Onset | 45–60 seconds |
| Duration | 8–10 minutes |
| Indication | Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI) — preferred agent |
| Contraindications | Known/suspected myopathies, hyperkalemia, burns >24h, crush injuries, denervation injuries |
| Antidote | No direct antidote; wait for spontaneous recovery |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocker |
| Mechanism | Competitive antagonist at NMJ nicotinic receptors |
| RSI Dose | 1.2 mg/kg IV |
| Onset | 60–90 seconds (at RSI dose) |
| Reversal | Sugammadex 16 mg/kg IV (immediate reversal) |
| Indication | RSI when succinylcholine is contraindicated |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | IV sedative/hypnotic |
| Mechanism | GABA-A receptor potentiation |
| Dose | 1–2 mg/kg IV for induction; 1–2 mg/kg for bronchospasm/laryngospasm/emergence delirium |
| Uses | Rapid increase in anesthetic depth, treat bronchospasm, laryngospasm, seizures (status epilepticus) |
| Note | Should always be available before anesthesia induction — Barash Clinical Anesthesia 9e |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Alkalinizing agent |
| Dose | 1 mEq/kg IV |
| Indication | Severe metabolic acidosis, hyperkalemia, tricyclic antidepressant OD, prolonged cardiac arrest |
| Note | Routine use NOT recommended in cardiac arrest — Miller's Anesthesia 10e |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Electrolyte / Antiarrhythmic |
| Dose | 1–2 g IV over 5–20 min |
| Indications | Torsades de pointes (TdP), eclampsia/pre-eclampsia, severe asthma, hypomagnesemia |
| Note | Routine use NOT recommended for VF/pulseless VT in adults — Miller's Anesthesia 10e |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Opioid antagonist |
| Mechanism | Competitive antagonist at μ, κ, δ opioid receptors |
| Dose | 0.4–2 mg IV/IM/IN; repeat every 2–3 min PRN |
| Indication | Opioid overdose (respiratory depression, coma) |
| Duration | 30–90 min (shorter than most opioids — re-dosing may be needed) |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Benzodiazepine antagonist |
| Dose | 0.2 mg IV over 15 sec; repeat 0.1 mg every 60 sec; max 1 mg |
| Indication | Benzodiazepine overdose / reversal of procedural sedation |
| Caution | May precipitate seizures in benzodiazepine-dependent patients |
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dose | 25–50 mL of 50% dextrose IV (adults); 2–4 mL/kg of 25% dextrose (children) |
| Indication | Severe hypoglycemia with altered consciousness |
| Emergency | First-Line Drug(s) |
|---|---|
| Cardiac arrest (VF/VT) | Epinephrine 1 mg + Amiodarone 300 mg + Defibrillation |
| Cardiac arrest (Asystole/PEA) | Epinephrine 1 mg (early) |
| Anaphylaxis | Epinephrine IM 0.3–0.5 mg |
| SVT | Adenosine 6 mg → 12 mg |
| Symptomatic bradycardia | Atropine 0.5–1 mg |
| Torsades de pointes | Magnesium sulfate 2 g IV |
| RSI (intubation) | Succinylcholine 1.5 mg/kg OR Rocuronium 1.2 mg/kg |
| Opioid overdose | Naloxone 0.4–2 mg |
| Benzodiazepine OD | Flumazenil 0.2 mg |
| Severe hypoglycemia | 50% Dextrose 50 mL IV |
| Status epilepticus | Lorazepam/Diazepam → Phenytoin → Propofol/Midazolam infusion |
| Eclampsia | Magnesium sulfate 4 g IV load |
| Beta-blocker OD | High-dose epinephrine, Glucagon, Calcium, Lipid emulsion |
| Hyperkalemia + arrest | Calcium chloride, Sodium bicarbonate, Insulin+Dextrose |
100 types of emergency and use emergency drugs emergency management
Sources: Rosen's Emergency Medicine, Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine, Miller's Anesthesia 10e, Barash Clinical Anesthesia 9e, Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine 22e, Lippincott Pharmacology, Goodman & Gilman's Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics
| # | Emergency | Drug of Choice | Key Dose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VF Cardiac Arrest | Epinephrine + Amiodarone | 1 mg IV + 300 mg IV |
| 2 | Asystole/PEA | Epinephrine (early) | 1 mg IV q3–5 min |
| 3 | SVT | Adenosine | 6 mg → 12 mg IV |
| 4 | Bradycardia | Atropine | 0.5–1 mg IV |
| 5 | Torsades | Magnesium sulfate | 2 g IV |
| 6 | Anaphylaxis | Epinephrine IM | 0.3 mg IM thigh |
| 7 | Status Epilepticus | Lorazepam | 4 mg IV |
| 8 | Ischemic Stroke | Alteplase (tPA) | 0.9 mg/kg IV |
| 9 | Hypertensive Emergency | Labetalol / Nicardipine | 20 mg IV bolus |
| 10 | Septic Shock | Norepinephrine | 0.1–0.3 mcg/kg/min |
| 11 | Opioid OD | Naloxone | 0.4–2 mg IV |
| 12 | Organophosphate OD | Atropine + Pralidoxime | 2–4 mg IV (titrate) |
| 13 | DKA | Insulin + fluids | 0.1 units/kg/h |
| 14 | Hyperkalemia | Calcium gluconate | 10 mL of 10% IV |
| 15 | Malignant Hyperthermia | Dantrolene | 2.5 mg/kg IV bolus |
| 16 | Eclampsia | MgSO₄ | 4 g IV loading |
| 17 | Thyroid Storm | PTU + Propranolol | PTU 600 mg + Propranolol 60–80 mg |
| 18 | Beta-blocker OD | Glucagon + Insulin | 5–10 mg IV + 1 unit/kg |
| 19 | RSI | Succinylcholine | 1.5 mg/kg IV |
| 20 | Coma (unknown) | "Coma cocktail" | Glucose + Thiamine + Naloxone |
Key Principle: In ALL emergencies — Airway → Breathing → Circulation (ABCs) first. Drugs are adjuncts to resuscitation, not replacements for it. Early definitive management and treating the underlying cause always take priority.— Rosen's Emergency Medicine, Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine, Miller's Anesthesia 10e, Harrison's Internal Medicine 22e, Goodman & Gilman's Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics