For use, as an adjunct to general anesthesia, to facilitate endotracheal intubation and to provide skeletal muscle relaxation during surgery or mechanical ventilation.
Atracurium antagonizes the neurotransmitter action of acetylcholine by binding competitively with cholinergic receptor sites on the motor end-plate. This antagonism is inhibited, and neuromuscular block reversed, by acetylcholinesterase inhibitors such as neostigmine, edrophonium, and pyridostigmine.
Excessive doses can be expected to produce enhanced pharmacological effects. Overdosage may increase the risk of histamine release and cardiovascular effects, especially hypotension.
The elimination half-life is approximately 20 minutes.
For inpatients and outpatients as an adjunct to general anesthesia, to facilitate tracheal intubation, and to provide skeletal muscle relaxation during surgery or mechanical ventilation in the ICU.
Cisatracurium Besylate binds to the nicotinic acetycholine (cholinergic) receptors in the motor endplate and blocks access to the receptors. In the process of binding, the receptor is actually activated - causing a process known as depolarization. Since it is not degraded in the neuromuscular junction, the depolarized membrane remains depolarized and unresponsive to any other impulse, causing muscle paralysis.
Overdosage with neuromuscular blocking agents may result in neuromuscular block beyond the time needed for surgery and anesthesia.
Elimination half-life of 22 minutes.
Biliary and urinary excretion were the major routes of excretion of radioactivity (totaling >90% of the labeled dose within 7 hours of dosing), of which atracurium represented only a minor fraction.