Prevention, Detection, and Management of Respiratory Depression Associated with Neuraxial Opioid Administration
Publication Date: March 1, 2016
Last Updated: March 14, 2022
Summary of Recommendations
Identification of Patients at Increased Risk of Respiratory Depression
Conduct a focused history and physical examination before administering neuraxial opioids.
- Direct particular attention toward signs, symptoms, or a history of sleep apnea, co-existing diseases or conditions (e.g., diabetes, obesity), current medications (including preoperative opioids), and adverse effects after opioid administration.
- A physical examination should include, but is not limited to, baseline vital signs, airway, heart, lung, and cognitive function.
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Prevention of Respiratory Depression after Neuraxial Opioid Administration
Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation
Encourage patients with a history of sleep apnea treated with noninvasive positive airway pressure to bring their own equipment to the hospital.
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Route of Administration
Single-injection neuraxial opioids may be safely used in place of parenteral opioids without altering the risk of respiratory depression or hypoxemia.
- Single-injection neuraxial fentanyl or sufentanil may be safe alternatives to single-injection neuraxial morphine.
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Type of Drug
When clinically suitable, appropriate doses of continuous epidural infusion of fentanyl or sufentanil may be used in place of continuous infusion of morphine or hydromorphone without increasing the risk of respiratory depression. Given the unique pharmacokinetic effect of the various neuraxially administered opioids, match the appropriate duration of monitoring with the drug. Based on the duration of action of hydrophilic opioids, do not administer neuraxial morphine or hydromorphone to outpatient surgical patients.
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Dose Selection
Administer the lowest efficacious dose of neuraxial opioids to minimize the risk of respiratory depression.
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Drug Combinations
Administer parenteral opioids or hypnotics cautiously in the presence of neuraxial opioids. The concomitant administration of neuraxial opioids and parenteral opioids, sedatives, hypnotics, or magnesium requires increased monitoring (e.g., intensity, duration, or additional methods of monitoring).
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Monitoring for Respiratory Depression
Monitor all patients receiving neuraxial opioids for adequacy of ventilation (e.g., respiratory rate, depth of respiration [assessed without disturbing a sleeping patient]), oxygenation (e.g., pulse oximetry when appropriate), and level of consciousness.††† Increased monitoring (e.g., intensity, duration, or additional methods of monitoring) may be warranted for patients at increased risk of respiratory depression (e.g., unstable medical condition, obesity, obstructive sleep apnea,†† concomitant administration of opioid analgesics or hypnotics by other routes, extremes of age).
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Single-injection Neuraxial Lipophilic Opioids (e.g., Fentanyl)
Monitor for a minimum of 2 h after administration. Monitor continually (i.e., repeated regularly and frequently in steady rapid succession) for the first 20 min after administration, followed by monitoring at least once per hour until 2 h have passed. After 2 h, frequency of monitoring should be dictated by the patient’s overall clinical condition and concurrent medications.
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Continuous Infusion or Patient-controlled Epidural Analgesia with Neuraxial Lipophilic Opioids
Monitor during the entire time the infusion is in use. Monitor continually for the first 20 min after initiation, followed by monitoring at least once per hour until 12 h have passed. From 12 to 24 h, monitor at least once every 2 h, and after 24 h, monitor at least once every 4 h. After discontinuation of continuous infusion or patient-controlled epidural opioid (PCEA) with neuraxial lipophilic opioids, frequency of monitoring should be dictated by the patient’s overall clinical condition and concurrent medications.
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Single-injection Neuraxial Hydrophilic Opioids (e.g., Morphine, not Including Sustained or Extended-release Epidural Morphine)
Monitor for a minimum of 24 h after administration. Monitor at least once per hour for the first 12 h after administration, followed by monitoring at least once every 2 h for the next 12 h (i.e., from 12 to 24 h). After 24 h, frequency of monitoring should be dictated by the patient’s overall clinical condition and concurrent medications.
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Continuous Infusion or patient-controlled epidural opioids (PCEA) with Neuraxial Hydrophilic Opioids
Monitor during the entire time the infusion is in use. Monitor at least once every hour for the first 12 h after initiation, followed by monitoring at least once every 2 h for the next 12 h. After 24 h, monitor at least once every 4 h. After discontinuation of continuous infusion or PCEA, frequency of monitoring should be dictated by the patient’s overall clinical condition and concurrent medications.
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Sustained or Extended-release Epidural Morphine
Monitor at least once every hour during the first 12 h after administration and at least once every 2 h for the next 12 h (i.e., 12 to 24 h). After 24 h, monitor at least once every 4 h for a minimum of 48 h.
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Management and Treatment of Respiratory Depression
For patients receiving neuraxial opioids, supplemental oxygen should be available. Administer supplemental oxygen to patients with altered level of consciousness, respiratory depression, or hypoxemia and continue until the patient is alert and no respiratory depression or hypoxemia is present. Maintain intravenous access if recurring respiratory depression occurs. Reversal agents should be available for administration to all patients experiencing significant respiratory depression after neuraxial opioid administration.
- In the presence of severe respiratory depression, initiate appropriate resuscitation.
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Recommendation Grading
Overview
Title
Prevention, Detection, and Management of Respiratory Depression Associated with Neuraxial Opioid Administration
Authoring Organization
American Society of Anesthesiologists
Publication Month/Year
March 1, 2016
Last Updated Month/Year
June 1, 2023
Supplemental Implementation Tools
Document Type
Guideline
External Publication Status
Published
Country of Publication
US
Document Objectives
Improve patient safety and enhance the quality of anesthetic care by redung the incidence and the severity of neuraxial opioid-related respiratory depression or hypoxemia.
Target Patient Population
Patients receiving epidural or spinal opioids
Target Provider Population
Anesthesiologists
Inclusion Criteria
Female, Male, Adolescent, Adult, Child, Infant, Older adult
Health Care Settings
Ambulatory, Emergency care, Hospital, Operating and recovery room, Outpatient
Intended Users
Epidemiology infection prevention, nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, physician assistant
Scope
Diagnosis, Prevention, Management
Diseases/Conditions (MeSH)
D009293 - Opioid-Related Disorders
Keywords
Anesthesiology, Respiratory Depression, Neuraxial Opioid Administration
Source Citation
Practice Guidelines for the Prevention, Detection, and Management of Respiratory Depression Associated with Neuraxial Opioid Administration: An Updated Report by the American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on Neuraxial Opioids and the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine*. Anesthesiology 2016;124(3):535-552.
Supplemental Methodology Resources
Methodology
Number of Source Documents
84
Literature Search Start Date
January 1, 2008
Literature Search End Date
July 31, 2015