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Anesthesia Medications

Succinylcholine Succinylcholine: Succinylcholine (SCh) is a depolarizing type neuromuscular blocking drug with rapid onset and short duration. It is used to produce muscle relaxation/paralysis during surgery and may be given as necessary as determined by anesthesia provider. SCh may be given to facilitate tracheal intubation in difficult intubations to prevent laryngospasm. SCh mimics the action of acetylcholine but is slower to hydrolyze or dissociate from the postjunctional membrane resulting in sustained depolarization. This sustained state of depolarization prevents the post-junctional membrane from responding to subsequent stimuli from acetylcholine resulting in paralysis. Adverse side effects of succinylcholine may include cardiac dysrhythmias, fasciculations (unsynchronized contractions of skeletal muscle), hyperkalemia (high levels of potassium) , myalgia (non-specific or diffuse muscle pain or tenderness), increased intraocular pressure, increased intracranial pressure, increased intragastric pressure, and trismus (jaw rigidity).

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