Medications for the Management of Dyspnea
| Intervention | Dose | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Weak opioids | For pts with mild dyspnea | |
| Codeine (or codeine with 325-mg acetaminophen) | 30 mg PO q4h | For opioid-naïve pts |
| Hydrocodone | 5 mg PO q4h | |
| Strong opioids | For opioid-naïve pts with moderate to severe dyspnea | |
| Morphine | 5-10 mg PO q4h | For pts already taking opioids for pain or other symptoms |
| 30-50% of baseline opioid dose q4h | ||
| Oxycodone | 5-10 mg PO q4h | |
| Hydromorphone | 1-2 mg PO q4h | |
| Anxiolytics | Give a dose every hour until the pt is relaxed, then provide a dose for maintenance | |
| Lorazepam | 0.5-2.0 mg PO/SL/IV qh then q4-6h | |
| Clonazepam | 0.25-2.0 mg PO q12h | |
| Midazolam | 0.5 mg IV q15min |