A rapid method of determining serum levels of etomidate by gas chromatography with the aid of a nitrogen detector.

A rapid method of measuring etomidate in serum is described which is suitable for the determination of serum levels during and after surgical procedures. Etomidate with the added internal standard propoxate is extracted from serum using a hexane/ether mixture. The organic layer is evaporated and the residue dissolved in acetone and injected into an OV-17 column at 220 degrees C. Resulting concentrations are linear between 0.05 and 2.0 microgram/ml serum. There is 90% recovery and the detection limit is 0.03 microgram/ml. The other drugs normally present do not interfere with the estimation. Estimations can be carried out on 20 blood samples by one person with 3 hours.