Which statement about Etomidate is true?

Which statement about Etomidate is true?

• A. It increases intracranial pressure
• B. It provides robust analgesia
• C. It increases heart rate
• D. It causes adrenal depression

Answer: (D)

Etomidate’s standout effect is its impact on the adrenal glands. It inhibits an enzyme (11β-hydroxylase) in the adrenal cortex, which shuts down cortisol (and related steroid) production for a period after a single dose. That adrenal suppression is why the statement about adrenal depression is true and carries clinical significance, especially in patients who are critically ill or require ongoing steroid responses. Beyond that, etomidate is often chosen for rapid induction because it tends to preserve cardiovascular stability and can lower cerebral metabolic demand, which helps keep intracranial pressure from rising. It does not provide robust analgesia—it's a hypnotic, not an analgesic—so analgesia must be addressed with other medications. It also doesn’t reliably increase heart rate; its cardiovascular effect is more about preserving or minimally affecting perfusion rather than causing tachycardia.

Etomidate’s standout effect is its impact on the adrenal glands. It inhibits an enzyme (11β-hydroxylase) in the adrenal cortex, which shuts down cortisol (and related steroid) production for a period after a single dose. That adrenal suppression is why the statement about adrenal depression is true and carries clinical significance, especially in patients who are critically ill or require ongoing steroid responses.

Beyond that, etomidate is often chosen for rapid induction because it tends to preserve cardiovascular stability and can lower cerebral metabolic demand, which helps keep intracranial pressure from rising. It does not provide robust analgesia—it's a hypnotic, not an analgesic—so analgesia must be addressed with other medications. It also doesn’t reliably increase heart rate; its cardiovascular effect is more about preserving or minimally affecting perfusion rather than causing tachycardia.