[RNcDreams]

Hi!
I'm a new grad in the ED with a silly question. I had a patient today (one of the first ones I've had semi- independently that was sick enough to get intubated, i/o access, etc) that was given Vecuronium for paralysis. Is this the drug that is nicknamed "rock?" I've heard that in conversations.

I wasn't the one who gave it, so no worries! I was ventilating.
I try not to give drugs I haven't had a moment to look up....

So, aside from the nickname, anything else you can tell me that I should know in the future about this drug?

Thanks a bunch!

[babynurselsa]

Generic name is rocuronium. I bet that clears it up for you.


http://www.medicinenet.com/vecuroniu...on/article.htm

This should help also.

[VivaRN]

We also shorten the name to "vec"

Don't give it to anyone without a protected airway. This would be a horrible drug to have a med error with.

[amiandjim]

Originally Posted by RNcDreams

Hi!
I'm a new grad in the ED with a silly question. I had a patient today (one of the first ones I've had semi- independently that was sick enough to get intubated, i/o access, etc) that was given Vecuronium for paralysis. Is this the drug that is nicknamed "rock?" I've heard that in conversations.

I wasn't the one who gave it, so no worries! I was ventilating.
I try not to give drugs I haven't had a moment to look up....

So, aside from the nickname, anything else you can tell me that I should know in the future about this drug?

Thanks a bunch!

Actually, Vecuronium (Vec) is the generic name for Norcuron and Rocuronium (Roc) is the generic name for Zemuron. They are two different drugs. They are both non-depolarizing muscle relaxants but they have different doses, potencies, and routes of metabolism. Hope that helps.

[loricatus]

We call it 'vec'. The most important thing you should remember is that it acts ONLY as a paralyzing agent. It does nothing to sedate the patient. Other than making sure that the patient's airway is protected since they aren't able to breath on their own once vec is administered, the patient must be sedated prior to it's administration. Imagine being concious and fully paralyzed! That is one horror a patient will never forget.

[RNcDreams]

Thank you all for clearing that up!

The patient was already tubed; we had to give the Vec because the docs didn't give anything after the initial drugs that the anesthesiologist gave to intubate, and she started to fight the vent. As you can imagine, when an intubated person begins to gnaw on their tube, the vent alarms go off, so I bagged her while another nurse got the Vec and some Versed to sedate, then we hooked her back up and all was well.

And, just to reiterate, I didn't give any of it!!
I participate at my comfort level, which was documenting, bagging, and giving fluids, ativan, etc.

I refuse to give meds I haven't had a chance to learn about, that is a disaster waiting to happen.

Thanks again!!

[ralatek]

Originally Posted by amiandjim

Actually, Vecuronium (Vec) is the generic name for Norcuron and Rocuronium (Roc) is the generic name for Zemuron. They are two different drugs. They are both non-depolarizing muscle relaxants but they have different doses, potencies, and routes of metabolism. Hope that helps.

You are right about everthing but metabolism. Both roc and vec are primarily metabolized by the liver with some renal excretion.

[amiandjim]

Originally Posted by ralatek

You are right about everthing but metabolism. Both roc and vec are primarily metabolized by the liver with some renal excretion.

Yes, I do realize that they are largely metabolized by the same mechanisms but the percentages are slightly different. Also, it is not quite true that they are primarily metabolized by the liver. They are primarily excreted unchanged in the bile, with a percentage (10-30%) being metabolized in the liver and a percentage excreted unchanged by the kidney. What I meant by differences in metabolism was just that Vec depends a little more on the liver than Roc. The main point of my post was just to let the OP know they were 2 competely different drugs.