The Top 100 Drugs in Sterile Compounding — Part 3: Analgesia, Sedation & Critical-Care Drips
By the NPTA Editorial Team · Clinically reviewed by Josh Cano, CPhT-Adv, BCSCPT, BCHCPT, BCNCPT
Published October 26, 2026
Parts 1 and 2 covered anti-infectives and the fluids/electrolytes/TPN foundation. Part 3 heads into the ICU and OR: the analgesics, sedatives, and continuous infusions (“drips”) that keep critically ill patients stable. Many of these are among the highest-alert medications in the building.
The short version: These are the medications behind many of the ICU’s most important drips – along with several commonly prepared IV rescue and critical-care agents.
Analgesics & sedatives
- Morphine — opioid analgesic. High-alert / controlled.
- Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) — potent opioid analgesic. High-alert / controlled.
- Fentanyl — short-acting opioid for analgesia and sedation. High-alert / controlled.
- Ketamine — dissociative anesthetic/analgesic; sedation and pain. High-alert / controlled.
- Midazolam (Versed) — short-acting benzodiazepine for sedation. High-alert / controlled.
- Lorazepam (Ativan) — benzodiazepine; sedation and status epilepticus. High-alert / controlled.
- Propofol (Diprivan) — sedative-hypnotic emulsion; ICU sedation and anesthesia. High-alert.
- Dexmedetomidine (Precedex) — alpha-2 agonist used for ICU and procedural sedation, generally with less respiratory depression than many other sedatives. High-alert.
Vasopressors & inotropes
- Norepinephrine (Levophed) — first-line vasopressor for many forms of distributive shock, particularly septic shock. High-alert.
- Epinephrine — vasopressor/inotrope; codes and anaphylaxis. High-alert.
- Phenylephrine — pure alpha vasopressor. IV phenylephrine is generally treated as high-alert because it is a potent vasopressor.
- Dopamine — dose-dependent vasopressor/inotrope. High-alert.
- Dobutamine — inotrope for low cardiac output. High-alert.
- Vasopressin — adjunct vasopressor in shock. High-alert.
- Milrinone — inotrope/vasodilator for heart failure. High-alert.
Cardiac & blood-pressure drips
- Nitroglycerin — vasodilator for ischemia and BP control. High-alert.
- Nicardipine (Cardene) — calcium channel blocker for BP control.
- Amiodarone — antiarrhythmic for atrial/ventricular arrhythmias. High-alert.
- Diltiazem — calcium channel blocker for rate control.
- Esmolol (Brevibloc) — ultra-short-acting beta-blocker drip.
- Labetalol — combined alpha/beta-blocker for acute BP control.
Other critical-care IV medications
- Heparin — anticoagulant infusion. High-alert.
- Furosemide (Lasix) — loop diuretic; IV push or infusion.
- Naloxone (Narcan) — opioid reversal.
- Hydralazine — direct vasodilator for acute hypertension.
Technician takeaway
Critical-care medications are where standardized concentrations, clear labeling, smart-pump drug libraries, and targeted independent double-checks can play an especially important role. Many of these medications are considered high-alert, and several are controlled substances with additional inventory, security, and documentation requirements. This is precision work — and an area where experienced sterile-compounding technicians play an important part in the medication-use system.
Ready to get IV certified?
Reading the list is one thing — doing the work is another. If sterile compounding is where you want your career to go, get the training behind it. NPTA’s Sterile Compounding Certification program has been used by more than 20,000 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to build real, job-ready IV skills: https://cpht.org/advanced-certifications-old/sterile-compounding-certification/
And when you’re ready to prove your expertise at the highest level, the Board Certified Sterile Compounding Pharmacy Technician (BCSCPT) credential from the Board of Pharmacy Technician Specialties (BPTS) is the gold standard: https://bpts.org/credentials/board-certified-sterile-compounding-pharmacy-technician/
Series navigation: [Part 1 — Anti-Infectives] · [Part 2 — Fluids, Electrolytes & Parenteral Nutrition] · Part 3 · [Part 4 — Oncology & Hazardous]
Educational disclaimer: Educational overview only — not compounding or dosing directions. Follow USP <797>, manufacturer stability/concentration data, controlled-substance regulations, and your facility’s standardized-concentration and high-alert policies.