Dosages are generally provided as milligrams per kilogram. 5 In addition, some drugs that are used to treat pediatric emergencies in consultation with an appropriate medical subspecialist (eg, tissue plasminogen for stroke, intravenous methylprednisolone for transverse myelitis) are not listed. The practitioner is referred to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Red Book: Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases for the treatment of infections. Antimicrobial agents (except for in disaster situations), vaccines, and chemotherapeutic agents are not included. ![]() Some drugs may be listed in multiple places because of overlapping indications. Description of medication adverse effects is limited. The indications, dosing, and practical points regarding drug administration are described. The Supplemental Information contains several tables, each listing medications used to treat pediatric emergencies on the basis of organ system or context (eg, drugs used in disasters). This document will be helpful to medical practitioners in the clinic, prehospital setting, and ED. Changes in the pattern and scope of practice, changes in the dosages and indications of medications, availability of newer drugs, and the discontinuation of older pharmacotherapeutic agents make it necessary to stay updated. 3, 4 Given the scope of pediatric emergency care in the United States and to facilitate consistency in the pharmacotherapy of medical emergencies in children, it is incumbent that all health providers who manage critically ill or injured children be knowledgeable of the medications used to treat pediatric emergencies. 2 Medical emergencies may occur between once or more per week and once or more per month in pediatricians’ offices. 2 Approximately 30% of emergency pediatric visits occurred in children’s hospitals. ![]() A majority (84%) of hospitals would send pediatric patients requiring intensive care to another hospital. Of the 4800 general and short-stay hospitals with 24-hour EDs in the United States during 2006, the majority (87%) admitted children, but only 10% were children’s hospitals or had PICUs. 1 EMS agencies provide the majority of out-of-hospital emergency care to children. 1 Approximately 7% of these children reach the hospital via emergency medical services (EMS). Roughly 28 million (27%) of the annual ED visits in the United States are by children younger than 19 years. Most children present for emergency medical care in physicians’ offices, the prehospital setting, or the emergency department (ED).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |