EPI/CAL Drips: Need feedback on: Data to support its use, Maximum drip rate, and how to remove from formulary?

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Mon, 01/21/2019 - 18:07
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Forrest Shirkey
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EPI/CAL Drips: Need feedback on: Data to support its use, Maximum drip rate, and how to remove from formulary?

We currently have an Epi/Cal drip in our formulary (epinephrine 4mg + CaCl 1gm / 250mL D5W). Our maximum rate is 20mL/hr (~5.333mcg/min of epinephrine). Our plain epinephrine drips (various concentrations) have a max rate of 50 mcg/min.

#1: If you currently use EPI/CAL, what evidence/references do you use to support its continued use? -1990's article in Circulation showed that "calcium blunts epinephrine's beta-adrenergic actions in postoperative cardiac surgery patients." We would like to use this article as a foundation for having EPI/CAL removed from formulary.

#2: Those facilities that use EPI/CAL, what maximum rate do you allow? What reference do you use to support this rate?

#3: For those facilities that no longer allow EPI/CAL, what was your strategy to successfully removing from formulary? Our Cardiac Surgeons and Interventional Cardiologists will likely be very reluctant.

Thanks in advance.

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