The role of Etomidate for Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in Emergency Medicine: A systematic review

Abstract

Etomidate is a short acting hypnotic drug. This drug is widely used for induction of hypnosis in intubation. Its hemodynamic profile makes it a reasonable choice in hemodynamically unstable patients. Aim of our review was describing its place in emergency ward. Methods: We searched the databases of PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and Medline (Ovid) from 2004 to August 2021 for Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) in which the study population was referred to the emergency department and received etomidate for Rapid sequence intubation (RSI).

Results: We found seven eligible studies to enter the review. These studies showed that etomidate is a safe and effective drug in emergency patients. Its suppressive effects on adrenal axis is not clinically significant.