| Medication | Initial dose | Onset (minutes) | Duration (minutes) | Repeat dose (as necessary) | Comments |
| Midazolam | 0.02 to 0.03 mg/kg over 2 to 3 minutes; maximum 2.5 mg (1.5 mg maximum if elderly) | 1 to 2.5 | 10 to 40 | May repeat after 2 to 5 minutes | Sedative and anxiolytic. No analgesia. Relatively slow onset; requires more gradual initiation. Prolonged effect or delayed recovery in elderly, obese, or impaired hepatic function. Use reduced dose in combination with other agents. |
| Methohexital | 0.75 to 1 mg/kg | 1 | 10 | 0.5 mg/kg every 2 to 5 minutes | Sedative and amnestic. No analgesia. Cardiorespiratory depression, hypotension, tachycardia can occur. Can precipitate or worsen seizures. |
| Etomidate | 0.1 to 0.15 mg/kg | 5 to 15 seconds | 5 to 15 | 0.05 mg/kg every 3 to 5 minutes | Sedative. No analgesia. Generally maintains hemodynamic stability. Elderly or renal/hepatic insufficiency: use lower dose range. Myoclonus, injection site pain, nausea/vomiting may occur. |
| Fentanyl | 0.5 to 1 mcg/kg | 2 to 3 | 30 to 60 | 0.5 mcg/kg every 2 minutes | Analgesic. No amnesia. Minimal hypotension and histamine release. Use reduced dose in combination with other agents. |
| Ketamine | 1 to 2 mg/kg over 1 to 2 minutes | 0.5 | 5 to 20 | 0.25 to 0.5 mg/kg every 5 to 10 minutes | Dissociative sedative, analgesic, and amnestic. Minimal cardiorespiratory depression. Does not inhibit protective reflexes. Sympathetic stimulation, tachycardia, hypertension may occur (rare). Emergence reactions common in adults. Nausea and vomiting may occur. Prolonged effect in elderly. |
| Propofol | 0.5 to 1 mg/kg | 0.5 | 5 | 0.5 mg/kg every 3 to 5 minutes | Sedative and amnestic. No analgesia. Rapid onset and neurological recovery. Respiratory depression, hypotension, injection site pain may occur. Elderly: reduce dose by 20 percent, slower administration. Contains egg lecithin, soybean oil (potential allergens) |
