IV Paracetamol in EMS

[afeefma]

I am an NREMT-P working as Head of Paramedics at the International Medical Center in Jeddah,KSA. I would like to have your opinion on having to place an IV Paracetamol preparation known as Perfalgan which is the only form of Paracetamol available for IV use in our EMS Drug Bags.

I am working on our pre hospital care protocols with our Medical Director but would like to post this for discussion and see if this would be a favorable drug to be placed in our EMS Bags knowing that it can be used for both Anti-Pyretic/Anti-Inflammatory affects. It has also been used to control moderate to certain degrees of severe post operative pain.

Your opinions will be highly appreciated.

Big Moe

[Doczilla]

That would be acetaminophen (Tylenol) for those of us on this side of the pond.

I haven't heard of an IV preparation of acetaminophen before. I don't see a huge drawback to it, except that it is not yet in wide use, and therefore there may be issues with the drug itself that only become apparent with adverse event monitoring.

'zilla

[zippyRN]

That would be acetaminophen (Tylenol) for those of us on this side of the pond.

I haven't heard of an IV preparation of acetaminophen before. I don't see a huge drawback to it, except that it is not yet in wide use, and therefore there may be issues with the drug itself that only become apparent with adverse event monitoring.

'zilla

Perfalgan is in wide use in the UK .. too wide i nthe opinion of our director of finacne becasue it is several times more expensive than PR or oral

[fiznat]

We have a protocol for tylenol as well. It is not IV but a PO dropper preparation. We have it for pediatric fevers, but to be honest I don't really consider this to be an "emergency" medicine that is all that necessary.

[akroeze]

It can be considered an "emergency" medication if it is used in the context of preventing and/or treating febrile seizures.

[Doczilla]

Except that febrile seizures aren't really an emergency.

'zilla

[AnthonyM83]

I was taught they were because of airway and breathing issues...not true?

[medibrat]

bring the temp down, the seizure should go away...that being said, since we all know you never give anything to anyone HAVING a seizure (not PO anyway) tylenol wouldn't be used to treat the SEIZURE...just the cause...will think more on this once I have slept

Brat :angel8:

ps. in response to the original thought of the thread, I'm not sure that IV tylenol would be beneficial in the long run...I'm thinking back, and I"m not sure how often I would actually have used it, if given the drug to use...

[zippyRN]

the evidence base usggests that paracetamol + an opiate works better and either reduces the doses of the opiates needed / increases effiacy

WHO analgesic ladder anyone?

[yugan]

Hi all. I am a South African paramedic new to this forum. The IV paracetamol is something that we are starting to explore here as well. It is proposed for the Mid Level Worker qualification. Does anyone know of any studies that were done?