Excessive mouth secretions

[phedrn]

Hi! I'm new to ICU. I had a vented patient the other night who had excessive drooling or mouth secretions to the point that his saliva comes down his cheeks like a waterfall especially when I turn him to his side. I kept suctioning his mouth with a yankeur but he just continues to produce excessive oral secretions. I was wondering what could be causing this as I've never seen this happen before on my vented patients and if there's a better way to manage it. Thanks!

[Sugarcoma, RN]

I second the use of scopalamine or Robinul. It may be related to the propofol or another drug this patient is getting. 50 of propofol is a lot. This patient sounds like a good candidate for a different drug or a combo of drugs.

[CCRN Swan]

Well, this is actually why I'm here.in fact I'm an ICU nurse and where I'm we use a low doses of adrenaline deluted in 20ml N/S.and in my point of view I find it not very good way

[Vikingnurse]

In our unit we also use scopoderm or atropin... the only consideration you need to have using either of these drugs, are their potential to cause delirium. They are two anticholinergic drugs, which might "tip the scale". I definatly need to find out more about the two other suggestions - glycopyrrolate and oral erytromycin. That sounds interessting.