Medications initially administered to the patient are given to reduce physiological responses to subsequent intubation. These include bradycardia, tachycardia, increased intracranial and intraocular pressure, hypertension, hypoxia, and cough and gag reflexes.

Premedication is not always necessary, but depends on the patient’s condition and specific indications. Drugs used in premedication include Atropine (for pediatric patients with bradycardia after administration of succinylcholine), Lidocaine (suppresses cough reflexes and helps mitigate potential increase in intracranial pressure, eg in traumatic brain injury, intracranial haemorrhage) and Fentanyl (reduces hypertensive response to intubation ).