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Lorazepam stability in parenteral solutions for continuous intravenous administration
L L Hoey1, K Vance-Bryan, D M Clarens
1Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA.
The Annals of Pharmacotherapy
|April 1, 1996
Summary
Lorazepam stability is compromised in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bags, showing significant loss within hours when prepared in dextrose 5% or NaCl 0.9% solutions at room or refrigerator temperatures.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Drug Stability Studies
- Clinical Pharmacy
Background:
- Intravenous drug administration requires careful consideration of drug compatibility with administration materials.
- Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) bags are commonly used for intravenous fluids but can interact with certain medications.
- Lorazepam is an important medication often administered intravenously, necessitating an understanding of its stability in various infusion setups.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the stability of lorazepam over a 24-hour period.
- To assess lorazepam stability at initial concentrations of 0.08 and 0.5 mg/mL.
- To determine the impact of storage temperature (room and refrigerator) and diluents (D5W and NaCl 0.9%) on lorazepam stability in PVC bags.
Main Methods:
- Lorazepam solutions at two concentrations were prepared in dextrose 5% (D5W) and NaCl 0.9%.
- Solutions were stored at room (21°C) and refrigerator (4°C) temperatures.
- Samples were analyzed at various time points (0, 1, 4, 8, 24 hours) for lorazepam concentration using HPLC, visual inspection, and pH determination.
Main Results:
- Significant lorazepam loss (>10%) was observed.
- Loss occurred within 1 hour for the 0.08 mg/mL concentration and within 4 hours for the 0.5 mg/mL concentration.
- No degradation products were detected, suggesting sorption rather than chemical degradation.
Conclusions:
- Lorazepam exhibits poor stability in both D5W and NaCl 0.9% solutions when stored in PVC bags.
- The observed loss is likely due to sorption of lorazepam to the PVC material.
- These findings highlight the risk of inadequate dosing when using PVC containers for lorazepam infusions.
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