What is Vecuronium
Vecuronium is a parenteral, intermediate-acting, nondepolarizing, neuromuscular blocking agent indicated as an adjunct to general anesthesia to facilitate endotracheal intubation and to provide skeletal muscle relaxation during surgery or mechanical ventilation.
Vecuronium is approximately one-third more potent than pancuronium, with a shorter duration of action at initially equipotent doses.
Vecuronium causes minimal catecholamine and histamine release and is not likely to cause clinically significant bronchospasm or cardiac adverse effects compared to agents with histamine-releasing properties such as atracurium and succinylcholine.
For this reason, vecuronium is often considered to be a preferred agent in patients with cardiac conditions, hemodynamic instability, asthma, or severe allergic reactions.
Brand Name
Norcuron
Indications
- endotracheal intubation
- neuromuscular blockade during mechanical ventilation
- neuromuscular blockade during surgery
- rapid-sequence intubation
- shaking chills
Side Effects
- acute quadriplegic myopathy syndrome
- anaphylactoid reactions
- angioedema
- anxiety
- apnea
- bronchospasm
- conjunctivitis
- dyspnea
- erythema
- flushing
- hypotension
- hypoxia
- keratitis
- malignant hyperthermia
- muscle paralysis
- myopathy
- pruritus
- rash
- respiratory depression
- sinus tachycardia
- skin erosion
- skin ulcer
- thrombosis
- tolerance
- urticaria
- weakness
- wheezing
- xerophthalmia
Monitoring Parameters
- peripheral nerve stimulation
Contraindications
- accidental exposure
- acid/base imbalance
- adrenal insufficiency
- asthma
- breast-feeding
- bromide hypersensitivity
- burns
- cardiac disease
- children
- chronic lung disease (CLD)
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- dehydration
- dialysis
- edema
- electrolyte imbalance
- geriatric
- hepatic disease
- hypercalcemia
- hypermagnesemia
- hypocalcemia
- hypokalemia
- hypothermia
- infants
- labor
- malignant hyperthermia
- metabolic acidosis
- metabolic alkalosis
- myasthenia gravis
- neonates
- neuromuscular blocking agent hypersensitivity
- neuromuscular disease
- obesity
- obstetric delivery
- pregnancy
- pulmonary disease
- renal failure
- requires a specialized care setting
- requires an experienced clinician
- respiratory acidosis
- respiratory alkalosis
- uremia
Interactions
- Acebutolol
- Acetazolamide
- Aliskiren; Amlodipine
- Aliskiren; Amlodipine; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
- Amide local anesthetics
- Aminoglycosides
- Amlodipine
- Amlodipine; Atorvastatin
- Amlodipine; Benazepril
- Amlodipine; Celecoxib
- Amlodipine; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Olmesartan
- Amlodipine; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Valsartan
- Amlodipine; Olmesartan
- Amlodipine; Telmisartan
- Amlodipine; Valsartan
- Amphotericin B
- Amphotericin B cholesteryl sulfate complex (ABCD)
- Amphotericin B lipid complex (ABLC)
- Amphotericin B liposomal (LAmB)
- Atenolol
- Atenolol; Chlorthalidone
- Bacitracin
- Bendroflumethiazide; Nadolol
- Beta-blockers
- Betaxolol
- Bismuth Subcitrate Potassium; Metronidazole; Tetracycline
- Bismuth Subsalicylate; Metronidazole; Tetracycline
- Bisoprolol
- Bisoprolol; Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ
- Botulinum Toxins
- Brimonidine; Timolol
- Calcium
- Calcium Acetate
- Calcium Carbonate
- Calcium Carbonate; Magnesium Hydroxide
- Calcium Carbonate; Risedronate
- Calcium Carbonate; Simethicone
- Calcium Chloride
- Calcium Gluconate
- Calcium-channel blockers
- Calcium; Vitamin D
- Capreomycin
- Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
- Carteolol
- Carvedilol
- Chromium
- Clevidipine
- Colistimethate, Colistin, Polymyxin E
- Corticosteroids
- Cyclophosphamide
- Cyclosporine
- Demeclocycline
- Desflurane
- Dextromethorphan; Quinidine
- Diltiazem
- Donepezil
- Donepezil; Memantine
- Dorzolamide; Timolol
- Doxycycline
- Enalapril; Felodipine
- Enflurane
- Esmolol
- Ester local anesthetics
- Felodipine
- Fosphenytoin
- Galantamine
- Hetastarch; Dextrose; Electrolytes
- Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Metoprolol
- Hydrochlorothiazide, HCTZ; Propranolol
- Indapamide
- Irinotecan
- Irinotecan Liposomal
- Isoflurane
- Isradipine
- Ketorolac
- Labetalol
- Levobetaxolol
- Levobunolol
- Lincosamides
- Lithium
- Loop diuretics
- Magnesium
- Methazolamide
- Metoprolol
- Metronidazole
- Minocycline
- Nadolol
- Nebivolol
- Nebivolol; Valsartan
- Neostigmine
- Nicardipine
- Nifedipine
- Nimodipine
- Nisoldipine
- Omadacycline
- Penbutolol
- Perindopril; Amlodipine
- Phenytoin
- Physostigmine
- Pindolol
- Piperacillin
- Piperacillin; Tazobactam
- Polymyxin B
- Polymyxins
- Procainamide
- Propranolol
- Pyridostigmine
- Quinidine
- Quinine
- Ranitidine
- Rivastigmine
- Sarecycline
- Sevoflurane
- Sotalol
- Succinylcholine
- Tetracycline
- Tetracyclines
- Theophylline, Aminophylline
- Thiazide diuretics
- Timolol
- Trandolapril; Verapamil
- Vancomycin
- Verapamil
