Medicine Formulary
Resuscitation/emergency drugs Supplements / other medications Antimicrobials For other drug doses consult the NEOFAX neonatal formulary in NICU or ask a senior Resuscitation/emergency drugs Epinephrine (adrenalin): 0.01mg/kg (0.1ml/kg of 1:10 000 solution) IV or per ETT (as last resort) Make 1:10 000 solution by diluting 1 ml of 1:1000 with 9ml of water for injection Naloxone (Narcan): 0.1m
Supplements / other medications
For other drug doses consult the NEOFAX neonatal formulary in NICU or ask a senior
Resuscitation/emergency drugs
Epinephrine (adrenalin):
- 0.01mg/kg (0.1ml/kg of 1:10 000 solution) IV or per ETT (as last resort)
- Make 1:10 000 solution by diluting 1 ml of 1:1000 with 9ml of water for injection
Naloxone (Narcan):
- 0.1mg/kg IV or IM
Normal saline (for fluid bolus):
- 10ml/kg IVI
10% dextrose (for hypoglycaemia):
- 2-4ml/kg IVI over 2 minutes
- Make 10% dextrose by diluting 1ml 50% dextrose per 4ml water injection (Preferred to more concentrated dextrose solutions)
Supplements / other medications
Caffeine:
- 1ml/kg loading dose, then 0.25ml/kg once daily orally
Start once on full feeds:
- Abidec: 0.6ml PO daily (if out of stock multivitamin 2.5ml PO BD)
- Folate: 0.1mg PO daily
- Vitamin D: 400U PO daily
- Ferrous gluconate (40mg/5ml of elemental iron): 4mg (0.5ml)/kg PO daily from day 14
Phenobarbitone:
- Loading dose: 20mg/kg IV over 10 minutes, may repeat 10mg/kg after 10 minutes
- Maintenance dose: 5mg/kg/day nocte
Keppra (Levetiracetam):
- Loading dose: 30-50mg/kg PO
- Maintenance dose: 10-30 mg/kg/dose 12hrly
10% phenylephrine eye drops:
- One drop each eye hourly x 3 before being seen by ophthalmologist
Antimicrobials
| Ampicillin: | 50mg/kg/dose 12hrly IV |
| Amphotericin: | 1mg/kg IV infusion daily over 4-24 hours |
| Bicillin: | 50 000U/kg IMI stat, max 150 000u |
| Cefotaxime: | 100-150mg/kg/day in 3 divided doses, 200mg/kg/day for meningitis |
| Fluconazole: |
Loading dose: 25mg/kg IV or oral |
| Gentamicin: | 5mg/kg IV daily (no loading dose) |
| Imipenem: | 25mg/kg/dose IV 8 hourly |
| Meropenem: | 20-40mg/kg/dose 8hrly |
| Penicillin G: | 50 000 -100 000U/kg/dose IV 12hourly |
| Tazocin: | 100mg/kg/dose IV 8 hourly |
| Vancomycin: | 15mg/kg/dose according to table below |
| Vancomycin: Post menstrual age | |||
| ≤28 weeks | 29-35 weeks | 36-44 weeks | >44 weeks |
| 24 hourly | 12 hourly | 8 hourly | 6 hourly |
Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital - Neonatal Care Handbook 2023; Medicine Formulary; Resuscitation/emergency drugs, Supplements/other medications, Antimicrobials
Last checked for updates: January 2024