The use of endotracheal medication in cardiac emergencies.

The endotracheal route for drug administration provides a rapid means of accessing the systemic circulation when intravenous routes cannot be established in emergent situations. This route is relatively free of significant complications and has been documented as being successful numerous times in various clinical settings. Currently, the following drugs have been studied by this route: epinephrine, atropine, lidocaine, naloxone, bretylium, and diazepam. The paper reviews the current state of the art of endotracheal drug administration.