A national survey on the practice patterns of anesthesiologist intensivists in the use of muscle relaxants.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the practice patterns of anesthesiologist intensivists (with the special certificate of competence in critical care medicine from the American Board of Anesthesiology) in the use of neuromuscular blocking drugs, in the ICU setting.


METHODS
A survey.


METHODS
All anesthesiologists with the special certificate of competence in critical care (n = 374) were selected for this study. Of the 339 who could be contacted and who were still actively practicing, 185 (55%) completed the survey.


RESULTS
In the ICU setting, anesthesiologist intensivists most commonly used vecuronium (52%) administered by bolus injection, bolus injection followed by infusion, or by continuous infusion. The most frequent indication for muscle relaxation was facilitation of mechanical ventilation (89%). Neuromuscular blockade was most commonly monitored clinically (55%), with only 34% of respondents using a peripheral nerve stimulator. All respondents indicated the concomitant use of sedatives or narcotics with muscle relaxants.


CONCLUSIONS
This study was created to address the dearth of information regarding actual usage of muscle relaxants in the ICU setting. The survey population was chosen as one with great familiarity in the use of muscle relaxants. The 55% response rate was significantly greater than the expected response rate for a single mailing survey. In the ICU setting, neuromuscular blocking drugs are most frequently used to facilitate mechanical ventilation. The prevalence of vecuronium use is of interest in light of recent case reports of prolonged neuromuscular blockade after long-term vecuronium administration. The low frequency of peripheral nerve stimulator monitoring during muscle relaxation may contribute, in part, to the problem of prolonged blockade after drug withdrawal. Muscle relaxants are not used in the absence of sedation and/or analgesia by this practitioner population.
Klessig
H T
HT
Department of Anesthesiology, University of Wisconsin Clinical Science Center, Madison 53792.
Geiger
H J
HJ
Murray
M J
MJ
Coursin
D B
DB
D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015982:Bias; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
D009125:Muscle Relaxants, Central; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents