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. 2008 Jun;4(2):109–114. doi: 10.1007/BF03160965

Intravenous fat emulsion: A potential novel antidote

Danielle E Turner-Lawrence 1, William Kerns 2,✉
PMCID: PMC3550130  PMID: 18570172

Abstract

Intravenous fat emulsions (IFE) are traditionally used as a component of parenteral nutrition therapy. Recently, IFE was used to resuscitate severe local anesthetic drug toxicity. This review focuses on the potential role of IFE in treatment of toxicity due to local anesthetics and other lipid-soluble drugs. The general properties of IFE, metabolic fate, and associated adverse events are described. Cases of local anesthetic toxicity treated with IFE are presented along with a discussion of the possible antidotal mechanisms. Initial investigations into the antidotal use of IFE for lipophilic central nervous and cardiovascular drug toxicity are also reviewed.

Keywords: Intravenous fat emulsion, cardiovascular drug toxicity, antidote

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