Dantrolene sodium in the management of patients at risk from malignant hyperthermia

Malignant hyperthermia is a dominantly inherited, usually subclinical, disease that occurs in individuals who have an underlying muscular disorder and connotes the gravest possible consequences. When it occurs, it is usually during the use of muscle relaxants in anesthesia and potent anesthetic agents such as halothane. Patients at risk must be identified through careful history and screening procedures; however, a patient susceptible to this condition may have had general anesthesia in the past without complications. A careful monitoring regimen must be established for the procedure and some means of cooling the patient must be ready in case pyrexia occurs. Dantrolene sodium is currently the preferred drug for prevention of the syndrome and may be valuable for its treatment.