Succinylcholine (Suxamethonium) Dose Calculator

Clinical context

Succinylcholine (suxamethonium) is a short-acting depolarizing neuromuscular blocker used when rapid paralysis is required. It does not provide unconsciousness, analgesia, or amnesia. For intravenous administration, the calculator returns the selected weight-based dose up to a maximum total dose of 150 mg. Do not use in patients with a personal or family susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia, skeletal-muscle myopathy, or after the acute phase of major burns, multiple trauma, denervation, or upper motor-neuron injury, when severe hyperkalemia and cardiac arrest may occur. Pediatric use should generally be reserved for emergency airway situations because occult myopathy can present with hyperkalemic arrest. Bradycardia, dysrhythmia, masseter spasm, increased intraocular or intragastric pressure, and prolonged apnea from reduced pseudocholinesterase activity may occur. Continuous ventilation and cardiovascular monitoring are required until neuromuscular function has recovered.