Clinical comparison of rapid infusion and multiple injection methods for lidocaine loading.

A rapid infusion regimen for lidocaine loading (150 mg infusion over 18 minutes following a 75 mg priming injection) was evaluated in 12 patients. This was compared with multiple injection loading method in six patients involving three 50 mg injections over 18 minutes following the same priming dose. Both loading regimens were followed by a maintenance infusion of 2 mg/min. Predictably, the multiple injection method produced wide variations in lidocaine concentrations compared to the rapid infusion method. Some evidence of lidocaine toxicity (drowsiness, tinnitus) was seen in 13 of the 18 patients after the priming injection. During multiple injection loading, all six patients experienced side effects (drowsiness, tinnitus, dysarthria, or paresthesias.) Only 1 of 12 patients experienced a side effect (drowsiness) during rapid infusion loading. The difference in incidence of adverse reactions was significantly greater with the multiple injection regimen (p less than 0.01) but was associated with measurably greater drug levels.