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A member asked:
Can the use of haloperidol (for delirium) or hydromorphone (for pain) mask an elderly pt's ability to respond to antibiotic treatment for suspected sepsis and probable pneumonia?
7 doctors weighed in across 3 answers
No: Those medications could mask symptoms, but should have no effect at all on the antibiotics, or their ability to respond to them. Hope this helps!
Answered 9/28/2016
3.9k views
No: The sedating effects of haloperidol and hydromorphone do not interefere with a body's response to antibiotics for an infection. If the patient does not respond, it is possible that the antibiotic used is not the right one for the particular infection or the sepsis is advanced and might not respond to any therapy.
Answered 12/4/2014
3.9k views
Unsure: It shouldn't. I would think most capable intensivists can monitor sepsis/pneumonia response to antibiotics fairly objectively independent of cognitive status. Excessive (e.g. not reasonable) sedation may reduce depth of breathing and activity level which may secondarily complicate prognosis.
Answered 8/14/2014
3.8k views
Related Questions
A member asked:
This is a hypothetical scenario If an elderly pt is hypotensive eg BP in recent days 116/59, 107/59, 104/69, 112/69, 102/62 & 106/70 & is in pain could regular hydromorphione lower BP too much or affect other vital signs if pt has pneumonia & sepsis?
4 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
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How likely is it that an elderly person will survive pneumonia with sepsis?
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Is the antibiotic that is generally considered to be the best medication for treating hypostatic pneumonia also the best medication for treating sepsis?
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Elderly mother survived pneumonia, "c diff", 2 consecutive uti's, and fecal impaction, resulting delirium. Can she come back to herself?
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30 days in counting in antibiotic therapy treating with severe sepsis and still no response or progress. What can the doctor do?
A doctor has provided 1 answer
People also searched for:
Generally speaking, is it appropriate to use hydromorphone to treat the symptoms of delirium if haloperidol is not very effective?
Generally speaking, if haloperidol is inefficacious in alleviating the symptoms of delirium, is it appropriate to use hydromorphone for this purpose?
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