From the Guidelines
The half-life of lidocaine averages 1 to 2 hours in normal subjects, while there is no mention of the half-life of epinephrine in the provided study. When considering the use of lidocaine, it is essential to understand its pharmacokinetics, as described in the study 1. The half-life of lidocaine is crucial in determining the dosage and administration schedule to achieve and maintain therapeutic blood levels. Some key points to consider when using lidocaine include:
- The elimination of lidocaine is almost exclusively by the liver 1.
- The half-life of lidocaine increases in patients with myocardial infarction, cardiac failure, or cardiogenic shock, necessitating adjustments in the infusion rate 1.
- The study does not provide information on the half-life of epinephrine, but it discusses the use of lidocaine in various clinical scenarios, including cardiac arrest and myocardial infarction 1. It is also important to note that the addition of epinephrine to lidocaine can affect the duration of action, but the provided study does not specifically address this combination's half-life. In clinical practice, the half-life of a medication is a critical factor in determining the frequency of administration and the potential for accumulation or toxicity. For lidocaine, the half-life is a key consideration in managing patients with acute myocardial infarction or other conditions requiring its use, as described in the study 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
The elimination half-life of lidocaine HCl following an intravenous bolus injection is typically 1.5 to 2 hours. There is no information about the half-life of epinephrine in the provided drug label.
- The half-life of lidocaine is 1.5 to 2 hours 2.
- The half-life of epinephrine and epinephrine and lidocaine is not available in the provided information.
From the Research
Half-life of Epinephrine
- The half-life of epinephrine is approximately 4.1 minutes when administered via inhalation 3.
- There is no information available on the half-life of epinephrine when administered in combination with lidocaine in the provided studies.
Half-life of Lidocaine and Epinephrine
- The provided studies do not mention the half-life of lidocaine and epinephrine combination.
- However, the stability of epinephrine in a solution with lidocaine was found to decline approximately 25% per week in anesthetic solution containing 100 meq/L sodium bicarbonate 4.
- The effects of lidocaine with epinephrine on blood pressure and heart rate were studied in several papers 5, 6, 7, but the half-life of the combination was not mentioned.