PROPOFOL TOXICITY

Course overview

PROPOFOL IS A PHENOL DERIVATIVE ADMINISTERED INTRAVENOUSLY THAT IS COMMONLY USED FOR SEDATION AND IN GENERAL ANESTHESIA. THE MOST COMMON FORMULATION OF PROPOFOL IS A LIPOPHILIC EMULSION WHICH ALLOWS FOR RAPID DISTRIBUTION INTO THE TISSUES INCLUDING ACROSS THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER. IT IS COMMONLY USED FOR SEDATION IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (ICU) BECAUSE IT HAS A SHORT DURATION OF ACTION AND RAPID CLEARANCE. IT HAS DOSE-DEPENDENT EFFECTS LEADING TO CHANGES IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART RATE AT HIGHER DOSES. INITIAL ADMINISTRATION CAN CAUSE PAIN AT THE INJECTION SITE. THOUGH PROPOFOL HAS A GENERALLY FAVORABLE PROFILE AS A SEDATIVE, ADMINISTRATION OF TOXIC DOSES CAN HAVE DELETERIOUS EFFECTS. PROPOFOL INFUSION SYNDROME (PRIS) RESULTS FROM PROPOFOL TOXICITY. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF PROPOFOL TOXICITY AND STRESSES THE ROLE OF AN INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM APPROACH TO THE CARE OF AFFECTED PATIENTS.