Adult medication reference
Adult post-intubation infusion reference
Starting weight-based ranges for post-intubation analgesia and sedation.
Dosing weight: Confirm actual, ideal, adjusted, or lean weight for the medication and local protocol. For a weight between rows, calculate from the formula rather than rounding.
Weight-based infusion ranges
| Medication | Published range | Context and cautions |
|---|---|---|
| Propofol infusion | 5–50 mcg/kg/min IV | Start low and titrate. Avoid reflexive boluses or escalation in hypotension; use the minimum effective dose. |
| Ketamine infusion | 0.5–1 mg/kg/hr IV | Common off-label post-intubation reference. Verify local formulary, monitoring, and analgesia strategy. |
| Midazolam infusion | 0.04–0.2 mg/kg/hr IV | Accumulation and hypotension can occur. Midazolam is not an analgesic. |
| Dexmedetomidine infusion | 0.2–0.7 mcg/kg/hr | Not an adequate sole agent immediately after paralysis. Bradycardia and hypotension may occur. |
Use the local smart-pump library, medication record, pharmacist, and current institutional protocol to determine the final infusion rate and concentration.
Sources, limitations, and review record
Source links checked 10 September 2026. Medication content review date: 23 July 2026.
ACEP: Critical Issues in Adult ED Endotracheal Intubation (January 2026)DailyMed: Etomidate labelDailyMed: Ketamine labelDailyMed: Rocuronium labelDailyMed: Succinylcholine labelDailyMed: Propofol labelDailyMed: Fentanyl citrate labelDailyMed: Midazolam labelDailyMed: Vecuronium labelDailyMed: Dexmedetomidine label
Verify the route, dosing weight, dose range, maximum, contraindications, age restrictions, organ function, local formulary, and product in hand.
Verify the dose, route, concentration, maximum, and patient-specific considerations against current institutional protocols and product labeling.