Name:
  • Droperidol
Other Names:
  • Inapsine

Classification:
  • Antiemetic; antipsychotic

Mechanism of Action:

  • Droperidol produces dopaminergic and mild alpha-adrenergic blockade.  It is used to induce a state of profound analgesia and psychomotor sedation

Indications:
  • Nausea and vomiting in patients refractory to first-line antiemetics
  • Antipsychotic

Contraindications:
  • Hypersensitivity
  • Use with caution in elderly, debilitated, and other poor-risk patients with Parkinson’s disease, hypotension, liver disease, kidney disease, and cardiac disease (including dysrhythmias)

Precautions:
  • Use caution when diving droperidol in combination with other CNS depressants
  • May lower convulsive threshold in epileptics
  • May cause QTI prolongation

Adverse Effects:
  • Central nervous system
    • Drowsiness, extrapyramidal symptoms, dystonia, dizziness, restlessness, depression
  • Cardiovascular
    • Hypotension, tachycardia
  • Other
    • Chills, shivering, laryngospasm, bronchospasm

Dose:
  • 2.5 - 10 mg IV/IM
Routes:
  • IV, IM
References:
  • Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties (CPS)
  • Pharmacology for the Prehospital Professional 2nd Edition

Last modified: Sunday, 16 March 2025, 7:15 PM