Adenosine
Other
| IV Dose | 50 or 100 ug/kg IV as initial dose. Double dose every several minutes, up to 400 ug/kg or arrhythmia termination. Upper limit 20 mg in adults. Give fast and flush. Works best when given by central line. “If nothing happens, you didn’t give enough” |
| Oral dose | No oral form |
| Levels | Action too short to measure |
| Kinetics | Serum half-life <10 seconds. All effects gone in 20-30 secs. |
| Cautions | Principally effective in SVT utilizing AV node as part of reentrant circuit (AVRT, AVNRT). May be weak bronchoconstrictor, so be cautious in patients with severe asthma. Often causes atrial ectopy, including atrial fibrillation. Use only in setting where electrical cardioversion is immediately available. |
| Interactions | Digoxin, verapamil may potentiate effect |
| Preparations | Adenocard 6 mg/cc ampule |
| FDA approval in children | no |