Abstract
Etomidate for the airway management of patients with dysfunctional cardiovascular and/or neurological systems has been a subject of debate due to its inhibitory effect on the adrenal response to stress. There are questions about the certainty of the effect of single-dose etomidate on adrenal steroidogenesis, its impact on mortality, and other clinical outcomes, including the role of concomitant use of steroids. A non-structured search was performed in MEDLINE and SciELO databases. Conclusions are that single-dose etomidate does decrease serum cortisol levels, with the maximum effect occurring during the first 1-4hours, and its use seems not to have any effect on mortality. It also appears to have no impact on ICU length of stay, or other clinical outcomes. However, there are no controlled trials with sufficient individual power to demonstrate these findings. Finally, there is not enough evidence to contraindicate its use, so it is still an attractive pharmacological alternative in emergency settings.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
