Common Medications in Critical Care: Part 1
Many medications are used in the critical care setting. A comprehensive assessment of a patient’s clinical status, comorbid conditions, and current medications is necessary before additional interventions are applied. All medical interventions should be evidence-based, goal-directed therapy. Because critical care pharmacotherapy literature evolves rapidly, practitioners must be vigilant to stay up to date with new guidelines and best practices.
Many medications are used in the critical care setting. A comprehensive assessment of a patient’s clinical status, comorbid conditions, and current medications is necessary before additional interventions are applied. All medical interventions should be evidence-based, goal-directed therapy. Because critical care pharmacotherapy literature evolves rapidly, practitioners must be vigilant to stay up to date with new guidelines and best practices.
American Nurses Credentialing Center
In support of improving patient care, Relias LLC is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Nurses will receive 1.50 Nursing Contact Hours after successfully completing this course.
Arkansas State Board of Nursing
Arkansas State Board Of Nursing Approved Continuing Education program (CEBroker Provider #50-290).
Nurses will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
District of Columbia Board of Nursing
District of Columbia Board of Nursing Approved Continuing Education program (CEBroker Provider #50-290).
Nurses will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
Florida Board of Nursing
Florida Board of Nursing (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Nurses will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
Florida Board of Nursing - Certified Nursing Assistants
This is not an accredited course for professional license renewal. Florida CNAs may use this inservice toward meeting their annual inservice requirement.
This activity is approved for 1.50 contact hours.
Georgia Board of Nursing
Georgia Board of Nursing (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Nurses will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
Kansas State Board of Nursing
Kansas State Board of Nursing (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Nurses will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
Kentucky Board of Nursing
Kentucky Board of Nursing (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Nurses will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
Louisiana State Board Of Medical Examiners - Midwifery
Louisiana State Board Of Medical Examiners - Midwifery (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Midwives will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
Michigan Board of Nursing
Michigan Board of Nursing (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Nurses will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
Mississippi Board of Nursing
Mississippi Board of Nursing (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Nurses will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
New Mexico Board of Nursing
New Mexico Board of Nursing (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Nurses will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
New Mexico Certified Nurse Midwives and Licensed Midwives
New Mexico Certified Nurse Midwives and Licensed Midwives (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Midwives will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
North Dakota Board of Nursing
North Dakota Board of Nursing (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Nurses will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
South Carolina Board of Nursing
South Carolina Board of Nursing (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Nurses will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
West Virginia Board of Registered Nursing
West Virginia Board of Registered Nursing (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Nurses will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
Wyoming Board of Nursing
Wyoming Board of Nursing (CEBroker Provider #50-290)
Nurses will receive 1.50 contact hours for participating in this course.
Recognize the role of cardiovascular and hemostatic agents in critical care.
Recall indications, common adverse effects, and contraindications for cardiac medications.
Identify three classes of drugs used in the pharmacological management of cardiovascular and hemostatic treatment.
Outline:
Section 1: Introduction
About This Course
Learning Objectives
Section 2: Vasopressors and Inotropes
Overview
Pure Vasopressors
Inopressors
Inodilators
New Vasopressor Agents
Section 3: Antihypertensives
β-Adrenergic Receptor Blockers
Calcium Channel Blockers (CCBs)
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors
Other Agents
Vasodilators
Pulmonary Vasodilators
Section 4: Anti-Arrhythmics
Overview
Class 0: Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated (HCN) Channel Blockers
Class I: Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers
Class II: Autonomic Inhibitors and Activators
Class III: Potassium Channel Blockers and Openers
Class IV: Calcium Channel Modulators
Class V: Mechanosensitive Channel Blockers
Class VI: Gap Junction Channel Blockers
Class VII: Upstream Target Modulators
Section 5: Hemostatic Drugs
Overview
Anticoagulants
Antiplatelet Drugs
Thrombolytics
Antifibrinolytics and Hemostatic Agents
Section 6: Conclusion
Course Summary
Course Contributors
References
Writer: Emily Allen
Reviewer: Derek J. Gyllenhammer, PharmDEmily is a graduate of UNC Wilmington, where she earned an MSN in Nursing Education in 2021. She is an experienced perianesthesia care unit (PACU) nurse and has cared for a wide variety of inpatient and ambulatory surgical patients. Emily has served as a Charge Nurse in UNC’s Ambulatory Care PACU and holds her CPAN certification from the American Board of Perianesthesia Nursing Certification (ABPANC). Her passion for education has led her to a position as a content writer at Relias.
Derek J. Gyllenhammer, PharmD, is a community pharmacist from the Hartford, Connecticut, area. He graduated with his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Connecticut in 2016.
The target audience for this course is: Nurses; in the following settings: Acute Care Facility.
Asynchronous/Online Distance Learning; please see certificate details for specifics on delivery format.
Relias has a grievance policy in place to facilitate reports of dissatisfaction. Relias will make every effort to resolve each grievance in a mutually satisfactory manner. In order to report a complaint or grievance please contact Relias.
If you require special accommodations to complete this module, please contact Relias Support by completing the web form (https://www.relias.com/help) or by using the chat functionality.
All courses offered by Relias, LLC are developed from a foundation of diversity, inclusiveness, and a multicultural perspective. Knowledge, values and awareness related to cultural competency are infused throughout the course content.
Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, service mark, manufacturer or otherwise does not constitute or imply any endorsement, recommendation, or favoring of, or affiliation with, Relias, LLC.
All characteristics and organizations referenced in the following training are fictional. Any resemblance to any actual organizations or persons living or dead, is purely coincidental.
To earn continuing education credit for this course you must achieve a passing score of 80% on the post-test and complete the course evaluation.
If you require special accommodations to complete this module, please contact Relias Customer Support here.
