ADMINISTRATION : DOSAGE IS HIGHLY INDIVIDUALIZED; THE DRUG SHOULD BE ADMINISTERED ONLY BY THOSE COMPLETELY FAMILIAR WITH ITS QUANTITATIVE DIFFERENCES FROM OTHER BARBITURATE ANESTHETICS.
ADULTS - METHOHEXITAL SODIUM IS ADMINISTERED INTRAVENOUSLY IN A CONCENTRATION OF NO HIGHER THAN 1%. HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS MARKEDLY INCREASE THE INCIDENCE OF MUSCULAR MOVEMENTS AND IRREGULARITIES IN RESPIRATION AND BLOOD PRESSURE.
INDUCTION OF ANESTHESIA: A 1% SOLUTION IS ADMINISTERED AT A RATE OF ABOUT 1 ML/5 SECONDS. GASEOUS ANESTHETICS AND/OR SKELETAL MUSCLE RELAXANTS MAY BE ADMINISTERED CONCOMITANTLY. THE DOSE REQUIRED FOR INDUCTION MAY RANGE FROM 50 TO 120 MG OR MORE BUT AVERAGES ABOUT 70 MG. THE USUAL DOSAGE IN ADULTS RANGES FROM 1 TO 1. 5 MG/KG. THE INDUCTION DOSE USUALLY PROVIDES ANESTHESIA FOR 5 TO 7 MINUTES.
MAINTENANCE OF ANESTHESIA : MAINTENANCE OF ANESTHESIA MAY BE ACCOMPLISHED BY INTERMITTENT INJECTIONS OF THE 1% SOLUTION OR, MORE EASILY, BY CONTINUOUS INTRAVENOUS DRIP OF A 0. 2% SOLUTION. INTERMITTENT INJECTIONS OF ABOUT 20 TO 40 MG (2 TO 4 ML OF A 1% SOLUTION) MAY BE GIVEN AS REQUIRED, USUALLY EVERY 4 TO 7 MINUTES. FOR CONTINUOUS DRIP, THE AVERAGE RATE OF ADMINISTRATION IS ABOUT 3 ML OF A 0. 2% SOLUTION/MINUTE (1 DROP/SECOND). THE RATE OF FLOW MUST BE INDIVIDUALIZED FOR EACH PATIENT. FOR LONGER SURGICAL PROCEDURES, GRADUAL REDUCTION IN THE RATE OF ADMINISTRATION IS RECOMMENDED. OTHER PARENTERAL AGENTS, USUALLY NARCOTIC ANALGESICS, ARE ORDINARILY EMPLOYED ALONG WITH METHOHEXITAL SODIUM DURING LONGER PROCEDURES.
CHILDREN : CAN BE USED IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS OLDER THAN 1 MONTH AS FOLLOWS: INTRAMUSCULARLY IN A 5% CONCENTRATION AND ADMINISTERED RECTALLY AS A 1% SOLUTION.
INDUCTION OF ANESTHESIA : FOR THE INDUCTION OF ANESTHESIA BY THE INTRAMUSCULAR ROUTE OF ADMINISTRATION, THE USUAL DOSE RANGES FROM 6.6 TO 10 MG/KG OF THE 5% CONCENTRATION. FOR RECTAL ADMINISTRATION, THE USUAL DOSE FOR INDUCTION IS 25 MG/KG USING THE 1% SOLUTION.