Calcium drip

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Specializes in SICU/CVICU.

Anyone ever seen a Calcium gtt used as a last resort in someone thats circling the drain and they didn't want to put a VAD in because it was too late? I guess you just ignore the calcium level and leave it at a set rate.

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

Hello richard1980:

Nope, can't say that I have. But I have seen Calcium drips used in oncology patients who have had bone mets....

I maybe, kinda, sorta understand the concept of using calcium (related to the pacemaker cells that reach threshold via the activation of fast calcium channels which aids in the contractile process)

Ohhh, now I am going to have to do a search!

athena

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Specializes in PICU/CVICU/Ped Nursing Faculty/TSICU.

Although I have only seen it a few times in the adult ICU population, we use calicum gtts all the time in post op cardiac patients in the peds world. If we are having bp issues and the pt responds to the calcium bolus, it is not uncommon to start a calcium gtt to decrease the need for vasopressors to support bp. We then check our ionized calciums farely frequently and will titrate up to an Ical of 1.3 to 1.5. Having a calcium gtt will decrease the peaks and valleys that you have giving it by bolus. This will actually help the conduction system and ventricular contractility; resulting in improved cardiac output, hopefully urine output and BP.

Great Question!!

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