Esmolol Hydrochloride

Indications

Hypertension Cardiac Arrhythmia

Esmolol Hydrochloride is a beta adrenergic blocker used for short-term treatment. It is given to control the ventricular rate in supraventricular tachycardia, including atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter, and to control the heart rate in noncompensatory sinus tachycardia. It is also used to control perioperative tachycardia and hypertension.

⚠️ Always consult a registered physician before taking any medicine.

Pharmacology

Esmolol Hydrochloride is a beta-1 selective (cardioselective) adrenergic receptor blocking agent. It starts working quickly and acts for a very short time. At therapeutic doses it has no significant intrinsic sympathomimetic activity and no significant membrane stabilizing activity. After an intravenous infusion, its elimination half-life is approximately 9 minutes.

Esmolol Hydrochloride blocks the beta 1 receptors, which are found mainly in cardiac muscle. This preference isn't absolute, though. At higher doses it starts to block beta 2 receptors as well, and these are found mainly in the bronchial and vascular muscle.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Esmolol Hydrochloride is Pregnancy Category C. In rabbits, doses of about 8 times the maximum human maintenance dose (300 mcg/kg/min) caused more fetal resorptions, with little toxicity to the mother. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women, so Esmolol Hydrochloride should be used in pregnancy only if the likely benefit justifies the possible risk to the fetus.

It is not known whether the medicine passes into human milk. Many drugs do, and Esmolol Hydrochloride could cause serious adverse reactions in nursing infants. So a decision should be made either to stop nursing or to stop the medicine, taking into account how important the medicine is to the mother.

⚠️ Talk to your doctor before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Dosage Reference

⚠️ Reference ranges from official sources only. Consult your doctor for personalized dosing.

Adults: Esmolol Hydrochloride is given intravenously. The dose is adjusted according to the ventricular rate or blood pressure, at intervals of 4 minutes or more. For supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) or noncompensatory sinus tachycardia, a loading dose of 500 mcg per kg, infused over one minute, is optional. Then 50 mcg per kg per minute is given for the next 4 minutes. The dose can be adjusted as needed, up to a maximum of 200 mcg per kg per minute. Additional loading doses may be given. For perioperative tachycardia and hypertension, the loading dose is 500 mcg per kg over 1 minute for gradual control. For immediate control it is 1 mg per kg over 30 seconds. After that, 50 mcg per kg per minute is given for gradual control, or 150 mcg per kg per minute for immediate control. The dose is adjusted up to a maximum of 200 mcg per kg per minute for tachycardia, or 300 mcg per kg per minute for hypertension.