amiodarone administration vs. lidocaine

[zzyzx]

I was thinking that for a patient in a stable, wide-complex tachycardia, the lidocaine can have a quicker effect since you can give it IVP. Am I wrong about this?

[chbare]

Zzyzx, you can give Amiodarone IVP as well. Granted, in the stable pt it will be a very slow push. Amiodarone is also taken PO by patients on chronic therapy.

Take care,

chbare.

[AZCEP]

Amiodarone is recommended to be administered over ten minutes, but it has been shown to not have any significant problems when administered more quickly. http://www.springerlink.com/content/p1726h29835772nv/

The article relates to a study done on dogs, but it shows that an aqueous solution of amiodarone can be pushed faster. The preservative/solvent issues are more of the problem.

zzyxx is partly correct on Lidocaine working faster, though. The body will metabolize it quicker, as long as the liver is functioning. Downside, shorter half-life, so you end up redosing, or hanging a drip. Lidocaine will also cause more allergic reactions, hypotension, and vomiting due to the speed of administration.