Should emergency physicians use etomidate for rapid sequence intubation?

Clinical question Does the use of etomidate for rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in critically ill patients lead to harm compared to another intravenous induction agent? Article chosen Jabre P, Combes X, Lapostolle F, et al. Etomidate versus ketamine for rapid sequence intubation in acutely ill patients: a multicentre randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2009;374:293–300. Study objective The study authors sought to determine whether the use of etomidate for emergency department RSI in critically ill adults is associated with greater morbidity or mortality compared to the use of ketamine.