Critical Care Innovations (Oct 2020)

Comparative analysis of pharmacotherapy used by Emergency Medical Services in Poland.

  • Piotr Trochimiak,
  • Piotr Konrad Leszczyński,
  • Paweł Świniarski

DOI
https://doi.org/10.32114/CCI.2020.3.3.20.30
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 3
pp. 20 – 30

Abstract

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INTRODUCTION: Pharmacotherapy is essential during emergency medical services (EMS). Medication administered in pre-hospital conditions enables i.a.: sedation, analgesia, treatment of arrhythmias, and resuscitation. The equipment of the paramedic’s box (Drug Kit) in an ambulance depends on the Rescue System in a given country. In Poland, since several years, there has been a standardized list of medications available in the emergency medical services. The authors attempt to assess the indication of pharmaceuticals that are most commonly used and those that may turn out to be unnecessary in pre-hospital care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The interventions of two emergency medical teams (specialized "SEMS" and basic "BEMS") from 2019 were analyzed. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov variable distribution normality test was used for statistical analysis; Pearson correlation and Chi squared independence tests. All results were considered significant at p <0.05. RESULTS: The teams intervened 4,530 times in the analyzed period. Medications were used in 1742 cases, which accounts for 38.45% of all interventions (BEMS - 1429; 82.03% vs. SEMS: 313; 17.97%). The most commonly administered were: Natrii chloridum 0.9%, Captoprilum, Ephinephrinum and Hydroxyzinum. Drugs such as: Flumazenilum, HES - hydroxyethyl starch, Isosorbidi mononitrans, Lidocaini hydrochloridum, Urapidilum were not administered. Comparing the total amount of drugs used between the teams, a statistically strong correlation was demonstrated (χ2 = 402.41; p = 0.000), point out more frequent use of drugs by BEMS staff. CONCLUSIONS: There is a group of drugs that are not used in the emergency medical service. The equipment of the paramedic’s box in the BEMS can be considered as sufficient because drugs from the SEMS were used occasionally. Due to the significant differences in the frequency of administration of individual drugs, a modification of the list of medicines in the emergency medical service in Poland should be considered.

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