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Pharmacokinetics of thiopental in the asphyxiated neonate.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Garg, DC; Goldberg, RN; Woo-Ming, RB; Weidler, DJ
Published in: Dev Pharmacol Ther
1988

The pharmacokinetic properties of thiopental were studied in 10 asphyxiated neonates (mean +/- SE; birth weight, 3,244 +/- 212 g; gestational age, 40 +/- 1 weeks) as part of a randomized, controlled trial which tested the ability of barbiturate therapy to decrease central nervous system damage secondary to perinatal asphyxia. Therapy was begun at a mean age of 2.3 h in all and was initially given as a loading dose of 15 mg/kg over 30 min followed by a constant infusion. The mean steady-state thiopental concentration was 13.4 +/- 3.7 micrograms/ml (mean +/- SD) and the average time to reach steady state was 7 +/- 5 h. Mean elimination half-life, plasma clearance and volume of distribution for thiopental were 39 h (range 26-70), 66 ml/(h x kg) (range 31-172), and 3.6 liters/kg (range 1.1-6.7), respectively. Arterial blood pressure support was required in 8 of 10 patients. While it appears feasible to give thiopental to the asphyxiated neonate at the reported infusion rates, the risk-benefit ratio is increased by the frequent associated hypotension and need for pharmacologic blood pressure support.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Dev Pharmacol Ther

DOI

ISSN

0379-8305

Publication Date

1988

Volume

11

Issue

4

Start / End Page

213 / 218

Location

Switzerland

Related Subject Headings

  • Thiopental
  • Random Allocation
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Humans
  • Asphyxia Neonatorum
 

Citation

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Garg, D. C., Goldberg, R. N., Woo-Ming, R. B., & Weidler, D. J. (1988). Pharmacokinetics of thiopental in the asphyxiated neonate. Dev Pharmacol Ther, 11(4), 213–218. https://doi.org/10.1159/000457691
Garg, D. C., R. N. Goldberg, R. B. Woo-Ming, and D. J. Weidler. “Pharmacokinetics of thiopental in the asphyxiated neonate.Dev Pharmacol Ther 11, no. 4 (1988): 213–18. https://doi.org/10.1159/000457691.
Garg DC, Goldberg RN, Woo-Ming RB, Weidler DJ. Pharmacokinetics of thiopental in the asphyxiated neonate. Dev Pharmacol Ther. 1988;11(4):213–8.
Garg, D. C., et al. “Pharmacokinetics of thiopental in the asphyxiated neonate.Dev Pharmacol Ther, vol. 11, no. 4, 1988, pp. 213–18. Pubmed, doi:10.1159/000457691.
Garg DC, Goldberg RN, Woo-Ming RB, Weidler DJ. Pharmacokinetics of thiopental in the asphyxiated neonate. Dev Pharmacol Ther. 1988;11(4):213–218.

Published In

Dev Pharmacol Ther

DOI

ISSN

0379-8305

Publication Date

1988

Volume

11

Issue

4

Start / End Page

213 / 218

Location

Switzerland

Related Subject Headings

  • Thiopental
  • Random Allocation
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Humans
  • Asphyxia Neonatorum