Preoperative Use
- IM, IV (Adults and Children >12 yr): 50–100 mcg 30–60 min before surgery.
Adjunct to General Anesthesia
- IM, IV (Adults and Children >12 yr): Low dose–minor surgery: 2 mcg/kg. Moderate dose–major surgery: 2–20 mcg/kg. High dose–major surgery: 20–50 mcg/kg.
Adjunct to Regional Anesthesia
- IM, IV (Adults and Children >12 yr): 50–100 mcg.
Postoperative Use (Recovery Room)
- IM, IV (Adults and Children >12 yr): 50–100 mcg; may repeat in 1–2 hr.
General Anesthesia
- IV (Adults and Children >12 yr): 50–100 mcg/kg (up to 150 mcg/kg).
- IV (Children 1–12 yr): 2–3 mcg/kg.
Sedation/Analgesia
- IV (Adults and Children >12 yr): 0.5–1 mcg/kg/dose, may repeat after 30–60 min.
- IV (Children 1–12 yr): Bolus: 1–2 mcg/kg/dose, may repeat at 30–60 min intervals. Continuous infusion: 1–5 mcg/kg/hr following bolus dose.
- IV (Neonates): Bolus: 0.5–3 mcg/kg/dose. Continuous infusion: 0.5–2 mcg/kg/hr following bolus dose. Continuous infusion during ECMO: 5–10 mcg/kg bolus followed by 1–5 mcg/kg/hr; may require up to 20 mcg/kg/hr after 5 days of therapy.