Reducing cocaine solution use by promoting the use of a lidocaine-phenylephrine solution

A program to reduce the use of cocaine solution in a university teaching hospital by promoting the use of a lidocaine-phenylephrine solution is described. To reduce the use of cocaine solution, pharmacists promoted the use of a mixture of lidocaine 3% and phenylephrine 0.25% in place of cocaine solution for nasotracheal intubation procedures. Because initial clinical use of the lidocaine-phenylephrine solution by the anesthesia service was successful, the pharmacy department began in December 1986 to actively promote use of the solution to the bronchoscopy service, the emergency service, and select inpatient nursing units. Educational measures included an article in the pharmacy and therapeutics newsletter detailing the safety and efficacy of the solution, pharmacist description of the program to physicians and nurses, and designation of the solution as a free floor stock item on nursing units. By 1988, total cocaine solution use had decreased by 66% from the 1984 average of 145.7 doses per month to an average of 50.0 doses per month; overall use of topical anesthetics remained constant. The nursing staff supported the use of the lidocaine-phenylephrine solution because it eliminated the extensive record keeping necessary for the cocaine solution. The program to decrease the amount of cocaine solution used was successful and will be expanded to other areas of the hospital.