Pediatrics CICU

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Dec 14, 2014

Virtually all parenteral medications can be given via central line. Some should ALWAYS be given centrally if at all possible: epinephrine, norepinephrine, phenylephrine, dopamine, adenosine, TPN, 3% saline, milrinone, nitroglycerine, sodium bicarbonate, D25W or greater, calcium, most chemo drugs and a number of others. Here is a list of the drugs recommended to be run centrally. But what determines what can go where is the concentration. The higher the concentration the more likely the drug will cause phlebitis. All these drugs listed can be given via PIV if diluted or given very slowly with the exception of adenosine. It has such a short half-life that if not given undiluted and rapidly direct you may as well squirt it on the floor. If all you have is a PIV and the patient is in SVT with signs of poor perfusion you give it through the PIV. There are only a minuscule number of drugs that nurses might infuse intra-arterially: heparin, tolazoline , nitroglycerine and papaverine. These drugs are rarely used in PCICU.

applepie2013 · Dec 17, 2014

Thank you so much!