PROPOFOL

[Midaerocon@aol.com]

Propofol is a great drug for use on selected patients.  It is by no means a 
good “all around” sedative for general use in the prehospital environment. 
 
Propofol can have significant hypotensive effects on pts  at risk for 
hypovolemia or pts with limited cardiac reserve.
 
 I would not ever consider using it on a “fresh” trauma pt – ie. most scene 
flight pts- even if they have normal vital signs.
 
Bottom line – propofol is contraindicated for use on trauma patients until 
they have been thoroughly evaluated to rule out any sort of internal/external 
hemorrhage.
 
Etomidate, on the other hand, has similar properties with no ( or very 
minimal) hypotensive effects.
 
Michael Abernethy, MD, FACEP
Flight Physician     UW Medflight
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