Make a list of Crash Cart Medicines
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I now have comprehensive data from multiple textbook sources. Here is the complete list:
Crash Cart Medicines
A crash cart (code cart) contains medications organized by their emergency use category. The following list is drawn from ACLS guidelines as referenced in Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine, Roberts & Hedges' Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine, and Clinical Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
1. Cardiac Arrest / Vasopressors
| Drug | Dose (Adult) | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| Epinephrine (Adrenaline) | 1 mg IV/IO every 3-5 min | Cardiac arrest (all rhythms), anaphylaxis, severe bradycardia |
| Vasopressin | 40 units IV (single dose) | Alternative to epinephrine in VF/pulseless VT |
| Norepinephrine | 0.1-0.2 mcg/kg/min infusion | Vasopressor for septic shock after volume replacement |
| Dopamine | 5-20 mcg/kg/min infusion | Hemodynamically significant hypotension |
| Dobutamine | 2-20 mcg/kg/min infusion | Short-term inotropic support, depressed myocardial contractility |
2. Antiarrhythmics
| Drug | Dose (Adult) | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| Amiodarone | 300 mg IV bolus (arrest); 150 mg over 10 min (stable VT) | VF, pulseless VT, SVT |
| Lidocaine | 1-1.5 mg/kg IV bolus | VF/pulseless VT (alternative to amiodarone), ventricular ectopy |
| Adenosine | 6 mg rapid IV push, then 12 mg if needed | Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) |
| Atropine | 0.5-1 mg IV every 3-5 min (max 3 mg) | Symptomatic bradycardia, AV block |
| Magnesium Sulfate | 1-2 g IV over 5-10 min | Torsades de pointes, hypomagnesemia, eclampsia seizures |
3. Electrolyte / Metabolic Correction
| Drug | Dose | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium Bicarbonate | 1 mEq/kg IV | Metabolic acidosis unresponsive to other measures, hyperkalemia, TCA overdose |
| Calcium Chloride (10%) | 500-1000 mg (5-10 mL) IV slowly | Hyperkalemia, hypocalcemia, calcium channel blocker overdose, hypermagnesemia |
| Calcium Gluconate | 1-2 g IV | Same as calcium chloride (less irritating to veins) |
| Dextrose 50% (D50W) | 25-50 g (50 mL) IV | Hypoglycemia, altered consciousness of unknown cause |
4. Reversal Agents (Pharmacologic Antagonists)
| Drug | Dose | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| Naloxone | 0.4-2 mg IV/IM/SC/IN | Opioid reversal (respiratory depression, overdose) |
| Flumazenil | 0.2 mg IV (repeat up to 1 mg) | Benzodiazepine reversal |
5. Anaphylaxis / Allergy
| Drug | Dose | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| Epinephrine | 0.3-0.5 mg IM (1:1000) | Anaphylaxis (first-line) |
| Diphenhydramine | 25-50 mg IV/IM | Allergic reactions, adjunct in anaphylaxis |
| Hydrocortisone / Methylprednisolone / Dexamethasone | 100-500 mg IV (varies) | Anaphylaxis, severe allergic reactions, adrenal crisis |
6. Vasodilators / Cardiac
| Drug | Dose | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| Nitroglycerin | 0.4 mg sublingual tablet or spray | Acute chest pain, hypertensive emergency, acute pulmonary edema |
| Ephedrine | 5-25 mg IV | Hypotension (especially anesthesia-related) |
7. Airway / Sedation Agents (often co-located on crash cart)
| Drug | Use |
|---|---|
| Midazolam / Diazepam | Seizure control, procedural sedation |
| Succinylcholine | Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) - depolarizing muscle relaxant |
| Rocuronium | RSI - non-depolarizing muscle relaxant |
| Ketamine | Induction agent for RSI |
Quick Reference by Emergency Scenario
| Scenario | First-Line Drug(s) |
|---|---|
| Cardiac arrest (VF/VT) | Epinephrine + Amiodarone + Defibrillation |
| Cardiac arrest (asystole/PEA) | Epinephrine |
| Bradycardia | Atropine → Epinephrine/Dopamine infusion |
| SVT | Adenosine |
| Torsades de Pointes | Magnesium Sulfate |
| Anaphylaxis | Epinephrine IM → Diphenhydramine + Steroids |
| Hypoglycemia | Dextrose 50% (D50W) |
| Hyperkalemia | Calcium Chloride + Sodium Bicarbonate |
| Opioid Overdose | Naloxone |
| Benzodiazepine Overdose | Flumazenil |
Sources:
- Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine (Table 109-2, Table 25-4) - drugs for resuscitation with doses and indications
- Clinical Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 3rd ed. - ASA Task Force list of emergency medications
- Roberts & Hedges' Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine - code cart contents
Note: Specific crash cart contents may vary by institution and clinical setting (adult ICU vs. pediatric ward vs. procedure suite). Always verify your facility's specific crash cart checklist and ACLS/PALS guidelines. Pediatric doses differ substantially from adult doses.
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