Shortage of both injectable and oral caffeine citrate

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists reports a shortage of both injectable and oral caffeine citrate. Premature infants require the injectable form of this drug to aid in their breathing. This is a common problem in neonatal intensive care units. If a ventilator is breathing for the baby, this drug can reduce the time until the child can breath on its own. If the infant does not need a ventilator, the drug will reduce the number of times that the baby fails to breathe. Failure to breath for twenty seconds or more is considered dangerous in premature infants.