Drug Groups

withdrawn

Description

Rapacuronium was withdrawn in 2001 in many countries due to risk of fatal bronchospasm.

Indication

Used in anaesthesia, to aid and enable endotracheal intubation.

Pharmacology

Rapacuronium is a rapidly acting, non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocker.

Affected Organisms

Biotransformation

Hydrolyzed to active metabolites (Cytochrome P450 system is not involved).

Half Life

141 minutes (mean)

Protein Binding

Variable. Plasma protein binding of rapacuronium was studied in vitro for human plasma by equilibrium dialysis. The protein binding was variable and ranged between 50% and 88%, which was at least partly due to hydrolysis of rapacuronium bromide to its 3-hydroxy metabolite. The specific plasma protein to which rapacuronium binds is unknown. Plasma protein binding of the 3-hydroxy metabolite was not determined.

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