The five high risk medications are concentrated electrolytes/sodium chloride, anticoagulants like Heparin and Warfarin, injectable potassium chloride, opiates and narcotics and insulin.
Concentrated electrolytes/sodium chloride has a risk of severe hypernatremia and neurological damage.
Anticoagulants like Heparin and Warfarin are high risk for developing severe bleeding or hemorrhage.
Injectable potassium chloride, when concentrated can cause immediate cardiac arrest if administered improperly.
Opiates and Narcotics, which include oxycodone, morphine and fentanyl, can cause fatal respiratory depression.
And insulin that is used for diabetes, when improperly dosed can cause severe hypoglycemia, coma or even death.
These medications also demand rigorous safety protocols because even small errors can have fatal and life threatening consequences.
And beyond these top five high risk medications, other high risk and high alert medications are chemotherapy agents, neuromuscular blocking agents, and Look-Alike/Sound-Alike or LASA medications.
Even organizations like the Institute for Safe Medication Practices emphasize these drugs require specific safe handling protocols, like independent double checks in order to prevent errors.