INDUCTION OF GENERAL ANAESTHESIA, BY INTRAVENOUS INJECTION USUALLY AS A 2.5% (25 MG/ML) SOLUTION, IN FIT PREMEDICATED ADULTS, INITIALLY 100-150 MG (REDUCED IN ELDERLY OR DEBILITATED) OVER 10-15 SECONDS (LONGER IN ELDERLY OR DEBILITATED), FOLLOWED BY FURTHER QUANTITY IF NECESSARY ACCORDING TO RESPONSE AFTER 30-60 SECONDS; OR UP TO 4 MG/KG (MAX. 500MG).
PREGNANT PATIENT: TOTAL DOSAGE USED IN PREGNANT PATIENTS SHOULD NOT EXCEED 250 MG
CHILDREN: INDUCTION 2 - 7 MG/KG
WHEN THIOPENTONE IS USED AS THE SOLE ANAES
THETIC, ANAESTHESIA CAN BE MAINTAINED BY REPEAT DOES AS NEEDED OR BY CONTINUOUS INTRAVENOUS INFUSION OF A 0.2 OR 0.4% SOLUTION.
RAISED INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE: BY INTRAVENOUS INJECTION, 1.5-3 MG/KG, REPEATED AS REQUIRED
STATUS EPILEPTICUS (ONLY IF OTHER MEASURES FAIL: A LOADING DOSE OF 5 MG PER KG BODYWEIGHT GIVEN INTRAVENOUSLY. THIS MAY BE FOLLOWED AFTER 30 MINUTES BY AN INFUSION GIVEN AT A RATE OF I TO 3 MG PER KG PER HOUR ADJUSTED TO MAINTAIN A MAXIMUM BLOOD CONCENTRATION OF 60 TO 100 MICRO GM PER ML. IT HAS BEEN RECOMMENDED THAT ADMINISTRATION SHOULD BE CONTINUED FOR AT LEAST 12 HOURS AFTER SEIZURE ACTIVITY HAS CEASED AND THEN SLOWLY DISCONTINUED.