Non-opioid Drugs May Be as Effective as Opioids in Prehospital Settings

For people in moderate to severe pain who have not yet reached a hospital, opioids are no more effective for pain relief than ketamine, acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs given primarily intravenously by emergency medical personnel, according to a new AHRQ evidence review. As many as 43 percent of adults and 85 percent of children have insufficient prehospital pain relief, review authors reported. Their review of pain relief options indicated that acetaminophen may cause fewer side effects overall and less dizziness than other medications, while ketamine may cause more dizziness or overall side effects, and opioids may cause difficulty breathing. The report also found that combining an opioid with ketamine may be more effective in reducing pain compared with opioids alone. Access the report from AHRQ’s Evidence-based Practice Center Program, plus the abstract of an article in Prehospital Emergency Care.