Intravenous lidocaine for the treatment of acute pain in the emergency department
Brendan Michael Fitzpatrick, Michael Eugene Mullins, Brendan Michael Fitzpatrick, Michael Eugene Mullins
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate intravenous lidocaine's safety and efficacy as an analgesic agent in the treatment of a variety of painful conditions presenting to the emergency department.
Methods: This case series identified seventeen patients who received lidocaine over a six month period and recorded demographic data, amount of lidocaine administered, the amount of opioid medication administered before and after lidocaine, pre- and post-lidocaine pain scores, and any qualitative descriptors of the patient's pain recorded in the record. Side effects and adverse events were also recorded.
Results: Of the seven patients who had a pre- and post-lidocaine pain score recorded, the mean reduction was 3 points on a 10 point scale. Patients who received lidocaine used less opioid medication. One patient received an improperly high dose of lidocaine and suffered a brief seizure and cardiac arrest, but was quickly resuscitated.
Conclusion: This series suggests that lidocaine may be a useful adjunct in the treatment of acutely painful conditions in the emergency department.
Keywords: Analgesia; Lidocaine; Pain control.
Conflict of interest statement
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.
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Source: PubMed