title: Pre-hospital use of ketamine for analgesia and procedural sedation.
abstract: The safe delivery of adequate analgesia and appropriate sedation is a priority in prehospital care. The use of ketamine is described for analgesia and sedation in 1030 trauma patients in a physician-led prehospital trauma service. Ketamine was mainly used in awake non-trapped patients with blunt trauma for procedural sedation and analgesia. Detailed database searches did not demonstrate loss of airway, oxygen desaturation or clinically significant emergence reactions after ketamine administration. Ketamine is relatively safe when used by physicians in prehospital trauma care.
authors.affiliation: London Helicopter Emergency Medical Service, Department of Pre-hospital Care, The Royal London Hospital, London E1 1BB, UK.
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Bredmose
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lockey
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grier
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017732:Air Ambulances; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000379:methods; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007649:Ketamine