title: Suxamethonium and critical illness polyneuropathy.
abstract: Administration of suxamethonium to patients with critical illness polyneuropathy may produce life-threatening hyperkalaemia. A questionnaire to assess the awareness of this problem was sent to all UK intensive care units. A clinical scenario suggestive of critical illness polyneuropathy was accompanied by a list of possible drugs used to facilitate endotracheal intubation. Most respondents (68.7%) chose suxamethonium while 20.4% avoided any muscle relaxant. This result suggests a worrying lack of appreciation of the dangers of suxamethonium use in critical illness polyneuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Biccard
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nimmo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced; D016638:Critical Illness; D003625:Data Collection; D004363:Drug Utilization; D006801:Humans; D006947:Hyperkalemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008875:Middle Aged; D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000628:therapy*; D013390:Succinylcholine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D009467:Neuromuscular Depolarizing Agents; D013390:Succinylcholine