Pharmacokinetics of midazolam in critically ill pediatric patients.
Midazolam is frequently used to produce sedation in critically ill pediatric patients. We studied the pharmacokinetics of midazolam in 22 patients (age 8 days to 16 years). The intravenous infusion rate to produce sedation ranged from 49-385 mcg/kg/hr. The blood samples were obtained at steady-state and midazolam was measured by gas chromatography with electron capture. The steady-state plasma concentrations of midazolam ranged from 49-385 ng/mL. The total clearance, apparent volume of distribution, and elimination half-life ranged from 0.1-3.1 L/kg/hr, 0.2-3.5 L/kg, and 0.3-10.9 hours, respectively. The marked interpatient variability in pharmacokinetics explains in part, the substantial variation in dosage requirements of midazolam to produce sedation in critically ill pediatric patients.
Nahara
M C
MC
Colleges of Pharmacy and Medicine, Ohio State University and Children's Research Institute, Children's Hospital Columbus, Ohio, USA.
McMorrow
J
J
Jones
P R
PR
Anglin
D
D
Rosenberg
R
R
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016638:Critical Illness; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008874:Midazolam / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D008874:Midazolam