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Which sedative is safer for emergency intubation? large trial seeks answers

NCT ID NCT05277896

Disease control Sponsor: Vanderbilt University Medical Center Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study compared two common sedatives, ketamine and etomidate, used when critically ill adults need a breathing tube placed in an emergency. About 2,367 patients took part to see which drug leads to fewer deaths and heart problems. The goal is to find the safer option for this high-risk procedure.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Ketamine and etomidate
What this could lead to
If one sedative is clearly better, it could become the standard choice for emergency intubations, potentially saving lives.
What could go wrong
This is a completed Phase 4 trial, but results may not apply to all patients or settings. Both drugs have known risks like low blood pressure.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 4

Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.

Participants

2,367 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Apr 2022

Finished

Sep 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Patient is critically ill and undergoing emergency tracheal intubation with sedation in an enrolling unit * Planned procedure is orotracheal intubation using a laryngoscope * Planned operator is a clinician expected to routinely perform tracheal intubation in the participating unit Exclusion Criteria: * Patient is known to be less than 18 years old * Patient is known to be pregnant * Patient is known to be a prisoner * Patient is known to have an allergy to ketamine or etomidate * Patient is presenting to the emergency department with a primary diagnosis of trauma * Patient or LAR declines participation during pre-enrollment opt-out conversation or by wearing opt-out bracelet for the RSI trial * Clinician feels ketamine is required or contraindicated for the optimal care of the patient * Clinician feels etomidate is required or contraindicated for the optimal care of the patient * Clinician feels an induction medication other than ketamine or etomidate is required for the optimal care of the patient * Immediate need for intubation precludes safe performance of study procedures

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

acute respiratory failure Critical Illness

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Acute respiratory failure

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Denver Health Medical Center

    Denver, Colorado, 80204, United States

  • Hennepin County Medical Center

    Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55415, United States

  • UAB Hospital

    Birmingham, Alabama, 35233, United States

  • University of Colorado Denver

    Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States

  • Vanderbilt University Medical Center

    Nashville, Tennessee, 37232, United States

  • Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center

    Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157, United States

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