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QUICK MATH
Calculate the Initial
Dose in 3 Easy Steps
How much dantrolene should you give to a 180-lb. patient?
• Convert pounds into kilograms:
180 lbs./2.2 (conversion provider noticed slight factor) = 81.81kg
• Multiply the patient's mass by 2.5mg/k g to determine the initial dose:
81.81kg x 2.5mg/kg = 204.52mg
• Determine how many vials you'll need t o reconstitute:
There are 20mg in each vial, so 204.52mg/20mg = 10.22 vials
Additional notes:
• Each vial is reconstituted with 60cc sterile water for injection, so you need 1 1,000L bag of sterile water for injection.
• The dantrolene bolus must be given within 10 minutes of the diagnosis of MH, and may be repeated every 5 minutes until the hypermetabolism stops or the maximum dose of 10mg/kg is given.
• Treatment should continue for 48 hours after the episode at 1mg/kg every 4 hours
— Marie Garner, RN, MSN, CNOR
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muscle. We've never had an event here at Callahan Eye
Hospital, but members of our staff and anesthesia providers, including me, have had experiences at other facilities. Thankfully, my brush with MH ended positively. An anesthesia changes in the vital signs of a young female patient and a gradual increase in her core temperature. We were fortunate he asked the key question: "Is this an MH emergency?" When it was identified as the real deal, we immediately initiated treatment protocols.
There are several lessons
here. First, this particular episode happened in the recovery area, so look for
MH's warning signs until patients are discharged. Second, some individuals are more susceptible than others, but the complication can strike anyone at any
time. Finally, it's critically
