Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) Mock Drill Guide

Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) is a potentially fatal, inherited disorder usually associated with the administration of certain general anesthetics; triggering agent such as halothane, isoflurane, sevoflurane, desflurane or enflurane either alone or in combination with the depolarizing muscle relaxant. These drugs can induce a drastic and uncontrolled increase in skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism, which overwhelms the body’s capacity to supply oxygen, remove carbon dioxide, and regulate body temperature, eventually leading to circulatory collapse and death if not treated quickly.

Areas which there is a risk for an MH crisis to occur is the surgery center operating room where triggering agents are given and the recovery area to which patients are taken after they receive triggering agents.

The current treatment of choice is the intravenous administration of dantrolene, the only known antidote, discontinuation of triggering agents, and supportive therapy directed at correcting hyperthermia, acidosis, and organ dysfunction. Treatment must be instituted rapidly on clinical suspicion of the onset of malignant hyperthermia.

The surgery center medical & clinical staff must perform & document an annual MH drill to ensure timely preparation of medications to the patient since time is of the essence when MH is detected.
Items needed for your MH Mock Drill:
Dantrolene
Sterile Water
Syringes
Hypodermic NeedleMH Kit
Crash Cart
For more information please visit http://www.mhaus.org/.
Here’s to your success,