Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 24 April 2024 at 00:38
There’s currently a national supply shortage of amiodarone minijets; this is down to a manufacturing issue, and it’s expected that stocks will run out at different times across the region.
As a result, hospitals will supply ampoules for injection which will be placed in our cupboards at hospital sites. The ampoules will be sent directly to those stations stocked via Dunstable. The ampoule dose is 150mg in 3ml, and 50ml bags of 5% glucose will also be provided to dilute the drug - this must be used to dilute the amiodarone.
If the amiodarone is not mixed in 5% glucose, there is an increased risk the drug will cause extravasation and destroy tissue. You must not use water or saline to mix the drug. Saline can be used to flush after drug administration.
We use amiodarone in shockable cardiac arrests, and in pulsed haemodynamically compromised VT (when the travel time to hospital is >30 mins, and with authorisation from the clinical advice line). Please download and read the full clinical update on East24, which has also been emailed to all colleagues, for details on dosage when using the amiodarone ampoules.
A word of warning: please keep ampoules upright
Whilst the ampoules of amiodarone look like most others, they are very different in the way the drug is drawn. When you snap off the top, please hold the ampoule upright, and draw the drug up whilst it is in this upright position. If you turn it upside down, as you usually can with ampoules, the drug will pour out.
Please contact the clinical advice line if you are uncertain about any of the above practices when on scene with a patient.
Download the full clinical update here from East24.
Published 21st October, 2016