Neurological drugs

Abstract

This chapter discusses neurological drugs and includes discussion on opioid and non-opioid analgesics in the intensive care unit (ICU; describing usage of opioid analgesics and non-opioid analgesics), sedation management in the ICU (including sedative agents), muscle relaxants (discussing physiology, depolarizing blockers, non-depolarizing blockers, the suxamethonium versus rocuronium debate, clinical use of prolonged muscular blockade, monitoring, problems, and complications), antiepileptic drugs (first-, second-, third-line drugs), neuroprotective agents (pharmacological neuroprotection and hypothermia), and mannitol and hypertonic saline. It aims to provide a summary of neurological and neuromuscular drugs commonly used in the ICU, although it is not exhaustive. Owing to variations in formulations and bioequivalence, drug doses should always be checked against local protocols before being administered to patients.