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Dantrolene sodium is a postsynaptic muscle relaxant with multiple indications in the fields of anesthesiology and neurology. While there are many indications for the use of dantrolene, its primary indication, and FDA-approved usage in both children and adults, is for the treatment of malignant hyperthermia: the very rare but life-threatening disorder triggered by general anesthesia. This activity reviews the mechanism of action, adverse event profile, toxicity, dosing, pharmacodynamics, and monitoring of dantrolene, pertinent for interprofessional team members in treating conditions where dantrolene is indicated. Objectives: Summarize the indications for using dantrolene. Review the contraindications for dantrolene use. Outline the potential adverse effect profile of dantrolene. Describe how interprofessional team strategies can increase dantrolene's effectiveness when its use is indicated. Access free multiple choice questions on this topic.

Use of dantrolene for malignant hyperthermia: Dantrolene is the only known treatment for malignant hyperthermia and should be administered as soon as possible following the identification of the symptoms of the disease process.[14] [Level 3]Availability of dantrolene for malignant hyperthermia: Facilities that stock and can potentially administer any potentially triggering agent, including succinylcholine without volatile agents, should have dantrolene immediately available (i.e., the capability for dantrolene administration within 10 minutes of the first sign of MH) if a patient in that facility develops MH. Large medical facilities with multiple operating rooms should have a malignant hyperthermia cart. [Level 5]Training: All interprofessional team members who administer anesthesia or frequently work in the operating room should undergo training to identify malignant hyperthermia and the appropriate administration and dosing of dantrolene. [Level 5] Performing RCTs for malignant hyperthermia on humans would be unethical, given the known response and treatment with dantrolene and the known mortality if left untreated. Finally, it is crucial to understand that substantial evidence indicating the efficacy of dantrolene for malignant hyperthermia is lacking. Therefore, careful monitoring and care coordination between all members of the interprofessional team (clinicians, mid-level practitioners, anesthesiology specialists, nursing staff, and pharmacists) will optimize dantrolene therapy and administration to provide the needed therapeutic effects while preventing adverse reactions. [Level 5]