Current Use of Neuromuscular Blocking Agents in Intensive Care Units

Abstract

Neuromuscular blocking agents can be used for purposes such as eliminating ventilator-patient dyssynchrony, facilitating gas exchange by reducing intra-abdominal pressure and improving chest wall compliance, reducing risk of lung barotrauma, decreasing contribution of muscles to oxygen consumption by preventing shivering and limiting elevations in intracranial pressure caused by airway stimulation in patients supported with mechanical ventilation in intensive care units. Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), status asthmaticus, increased intracranial pressure and therapeutic hypothermia following ventricular fibrillation-associated cardiac arrest are some of clinical conditions that can be sustained by neuromuscular blockade. Appropriate indication and clinical practice have gained importance considering side effects such as ICU-acquired weakness, masking seizure activity and longer durations of hospital and ICU stays. We mainly aimed to review the current literature regarding neuromuscular blockade in up-to-date clinical conditions such as improving oxygenation in early ARDS and preventing shivering in the therapeutic hypothermia along with summarising the clinical practice in adult ICU in this report.

Keywords: Intensive care unit; mechanical ventilation; neuromuscular blocking agents.

Figure 1

Sedation and neuromuscular blockade algorithm in ARDS ARDS: adult respiratory distress syndrome; VT: tidal volume; PEEP: positive end-expiratory pressure; Pplat: plateau pressure