COMPATIBILITY OF REMIFENTANIL HYDROCHLORIDE WITH SELECTED DRUGS DURING SIMULATED Y-SITE ADMINISTRATION

The compatibility of remifentanil hydrochloride with 90 other drugs du ring simulated Y-site administration was studied. Five milliliters of remifentanil 25 and 250 mu g/mL (as hydrochloride) in 0.9% sodium chlo ride injection or 5% dextrose injection was combined with 5 mL of each of 90 other drugs in 5% dextrose injection or 0.9% sodium chloride in jection. Each combination was prepared in duplicate. The combinations were stored at similar to 23 degrees C under fluorescent light and exa mined with the unaided eye and in high-intensity mono-directional ligh t during the first 15 minutes after preparation and at one and four ho urs. The turbidity of each combination was measured as well. Particle sizing and counting were performed for selected combinations. Most of the combinations exhibited no haze, turbidity, or color change through out the study period. Remifentanil 25 mu g/mL combined with chlorproma zine hydrochloride showed a small increase in haze within four hours. One of the combinations of remifentanil 250 mu g/mL with cefoperazone sodium was unacceptably hazy within one hour. The combination of remif entanil 250 mu g/mL with amphotericin B formed a gross precipitate upo n mixing. Remifentanil 25 and 250 mu g/mL (as hydrochloride) in 0.9% s odium chloride injection was compatible for four hours at similar to 2 3 degrees C with all the drugs studied except chlorpromazine hydrochlo ride (with remifentanil 25 mu g/mL), cefoperazone sodium (with remifen tanil 250 mu g/mL), and amphotericin B (with remifentanil 250 mu g/mL in 5% dextrose injection).