In septic patients does the use of Etomidate as an induction agent for Essay

In septic patients does the use of Etomidate as an induction agent for endotracheal intubation increases mortality - Essay Example Rapid sequence intubation is the preferred method of intubation in the emergency and trauma units because it carries a decreased risk of patient aspiration and vomiting (Lafferty & Kunkarni, 2008). To facilitate induction, anaesthetic agents like etomidate or midazolam are used. However, practitioners and experts acknowledge that anaesthesia use for intubation and ventilation is hazardous and poorly tolerated in critically ill patients (Mccormick, 2006, p. 1). Mccormick (2006, p. 1) recommends that a trained anaesthetist should be present when this procedure is undertaken. Hypotension is one of the adverse effects that can manifest after induction, hence, the needed presence of the anaesthetist at this stage of the procedure. However, literature on the use of etomidate as an induction agent has been rendered controversial. Bridgewater (n.d, p. 2) claims that this controversy mainly stems from the fact that etomidate actually causes adrenal suppression. Other studies have yet to subst antially prove or disprove the merits of etomidate use in septic patients. Hence, this study is now being undertaken in order to assess the current researches on this subject in the hope of coming up with an academic and evidence-based resolution to this controversy. Data was gathered for this paper in different databases through electronic and library catalogue searches. The MEDLINE electronic database was assessed through the Google search engine. Catalogue searches included ‘anaesthesia etomidate’ and ‘septic patients etomidate’. Index searches of books included the following keywords: ‘etomidate’ and ‘septic patients’. Electronic searches through the Google search engine used the words ‘etomidate induction septic patients’. In order to further specify searches, the words ‘etomidate mortality risk’ and ‘rapid sequence intubation’ were added in. Websites for the Cochrane Library and the