muscle relaxants and reversal agents in pediatrics

The response of preterm and term neonates (who may be more sensitive to the drugs) to muscle relaxants varies greatly from patient to patient. Therefore, all doses should be titrated to response. The recommended intubation doses may be reduced 30% to 50% in the presence of a potent inhaled agent.

The dose of reversal agent given to antagonize nondepolarizing neuromuscular blockade should be determined by the degree of residual neuromuscular blockade (i.e., the dose should be titrated to clinical effect).