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Medication use in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Emily M Hsieh1, Christoph P Hornik2, Reese H Clark3
1Duke-National University of Singapore Graduate Medical School, Singapore.
American Journal of Perinatology
|December 19, 2013
Summary
Medication use in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) has significantly changed. Many commonly used drugs in NICUs lack FDA approval for infant use, highlighting a critical gap in neonatal pharmacotherapy.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal pharmacology
- Pediatric intensive care
- Drug utilization studies
Background:
- Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) manage critically ill infants.
- Medication administration is a cornerstone of neonatal care.
- Understanding medication trends is crucial for optimizing infant outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an updated analysis of medication use in US NICUs.
- To examine temporal trends in neonatal drug administration.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of a large administrative database.
- Data collected prospectively from 2005 to 2010.
Main Results:
- Commonly used medications included ampicillin, gentamicin, and caffeine citrate.
- Significant increases in azithromycin, sildenafil, and milrinone use were observed.
- Decreased use of theophylline, metoclopramide, and doxapram was noted.
Conclusions:
- Medication patterns in NICUs have evolved considerably.
- A substantial proportion (65%) of frequently prescribed NICU medications are not FDA-approved for infant use.
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