Have you heard that you’re supposed to decrease the dose of your sedative when performing RSI on hypotensive patients? First, avoid asking why you haven’t addressed the hypotension before intubating.. maybe there’s a reason. Maybe. But, regardless of why, intubate you will. What about those doses? I’ve been hearing for years that I should be dropping the dose of sedation before RSI. But what evidence are these recommendations based on?

Today, we reviewed a paper aimed at providing some evidence on this question. Oh, and I offer a gratuitous plug for the ESO/PCRF Research Forum nerdvanna. Here’s the URL for more information:

https://www.eso.com/events/research-forum-pcrf/

Citation:

Driver BE, Trent SA, Prekker ME, Reardon RF, Brown CA: Sedative Dose for Rapid Sequence Intubation and Postintubation Hypotension: Is There an Association? Annals of Emergency Medicine. June 2023 (Epub Ahead of Print)

Also discussed:

Pappal RD, Roberts BW, Mohr NM, Ablordeppey E, Wessman BT, Drewry AM, Winkler W, Yan Y, Kollef MH, Avidan MS, et al.: The ED-AWARENESS Study: A Prospective, Observational Cohort Study of Awareness With Paralysis in Mechanically Ventilated Patients Admitted From the Emergency Department. Ann Emerg Med. 2021;77(5):532–44.