Table 75-7.
Systemic (Injected) Bronchodilators for Acute Asthma Exacerbations
| Medications | Adult Dose | Child Dose | Onset of Action | Duration | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ß2-Agonists | |||||
| Epinephrine 1 : 1000 (1 mg/mL) by IV infusion | 0.3-0.5 mg every 20 minutes for 3 doses SC Loading dose: 2-10 μg/kg, followed by continuous infusion of 0.08-0.4 μg/kg/ min; titrate dose by clinical response up to 6 μg/kg/min |
0.01 mg/kg up to 0.3-0.5 mg every 20 minutes for 3 doses SC | 1-3 minutes | 30 minutes | No proven advantage of systemic therapy over aerosol |
| Terbutaline (1 mg/mL) by IV infusion | 0.25 mg every 20 minutes for 3 doses SC Loading dose: 2-10 μg/kg followed by continuous infusion of 0.08-0.4 μg/kg/min; titrate dose by clinical response up to 6 μg/kg/min |
0.01 mg/kg every 20 minutes for 3 doses, then every 2-6 hours as needed SC Loading dose: 2-10 μg/kg followed by continuous infusion of 0.08-0.4 μg/kg/min; titrate dose by clinical response up to 6 μg/kg/min |
SC: 6-15 minutes | SC: 1.5-4 hours | |