Droperidol stability in intravenous admixtures.

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Drug Stability Studies
• Intravenous Admixtures

Background:

• Droperidol is an antipsychotic and antiemetic medication.
• Intravenous admixtures require careful stability assessment for safe administration.
• Compatibility with common intravenous solutions and packaging is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the stability and compatibility of droperidol in small-volume intravenous admixtures.
• To determine the impact of different intravenous solutions and container types on droperidol concentration over time.
• To establish recommended storage conditions and potential limitations for droperidol admixtures.

Main Methods:

• Droperidol was diluted to 1 mg/50 ml in 5% dextrose, 0.9% sodium chloride, and lactated Ringer's injections.
• Admixtures were stored in type I glass bottles and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bags under continuous illumination at 27°C.
• Spectrophotometric assays were performed at various intervals up to 272 hours to measure droperidol concentration.

Main Results:

• Droperidol concentrations remained within 10% of initial values in most admixtures, except for lactated Ringer's in PVC bags.
• A 24% decrease in droperidol concentration was observed in lactated Ringer's/PVC bag admixtures due to sorption.
• Droperidol demonstrated good stability in glass bottles and in dextrose/saline admixtures within PVC bags for up to 7 days.

Conclusions:

• Droperidol is stable in 5% dextrose and 0.9% sodium chloride admixtures in glass bottles and PVC bags for up to 7-10 days.
• Significant degradation of droperidol occurs in lactated Ringer's injection when stored in PVC bags, likely due to sorption.
• Clinical use of droperidol in lactated Ringer's solution within PVC bags should be approached with caution due to potential loss of potency.