Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Book

Depolarizing Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs

In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
.
Affiliations
Free Books & Documents
Book

Depolarizing Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs

Michael Gulenay et al.
Free Books & Documents

Excerpt

Depolarizing neuromuscular blocking drugs are critical in anesthesia and emergency medicine, particularly during rapid sequence intubation and surgical procedures requiring muscle relaxation. Indications for neuromuscular blockade in emergent situations include failure to protect or maintain the airway, inadequate ventilation or oxygenation, and anticipation of clinical deterioration. This activity addresses the pharmacology, dosing, and clinical application of depolarizing neuromuscular blocking drugs, emphasizing their mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, contraindications, and potential adverse effects.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Michael Gulenay declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Preeti Patel declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Josephin Mathai declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

References

    1. Engstrom K, Brown CS, Mattson AE, Lyons N, Rech MA. Pharmacotherapy optimization for rapid sequence intubation in the emergency department. Am J Emerg Med. 2023 Aug;70:19-29. - PubMed
    1. Acquisto NM, Mosier JM, Bittner EA, Patanwala AE, Hirsch KG, Hargwood P, Oropello JM, Bodkin RP, Groth CM, Kaucher KA, Slampak-Cindric AA, Manno EM, Mayer SA, Peterson LN, Fulmer J, Galton C, Bleck TP, Chase K, Heffner AC, Gunnerson KJ, Boling B, Murray MJ. Society of Critical Care Medicine Clinical Practice Guidelines for Rapid Sequence Intubation in the Critically Ill Adult Patient: Executive Summary. Crit Care Med. 2023 Oct 01;51(10):1407-1410. - PubMed
    1. Bowman WC. Neuromuscular block. Br J Pharmacol. 2006 Jan;147 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S277-86. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Radkowski P, Szewczyk M, Czajka A, Samiec M, Braczkowska-Skibińska M. The Influence of Acid-Base Balance on Anesthetic Muscle Relaxants: A Comprehensive Review on Clinical Applications and Mechanisms. Med Sci Monit. 2024 Jul 01;30:e944510. - PMC - PubMed
    1. D'Souza RS, Porter BR, Johnson RL. StatPearls [Internet] StatPearls Publishing; Treasure Island (FL): 2024. Oct 7, Nondepolarizing Paralytics(Archived) - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources