Treatment of medical emergencies for the general practitioner

Medical emergencies in the dental office are, fortunately, very infrequent. However, when they do happen, it pays to keep your head and stay focused so you, yourself, don't become the second emergency in your office that day. We have all sat through lectures and read articles as to what we should have in our emergency kit. We buy these medications, we renew them when they expire, and hope we never have the opportunity to use them. The purpose of this article is not simply to list what emergency medication to have in your office, but rather to help you appreciate the signs, symptoms and histories of your patients in order to avoid a medical emergency. This article is not geared for oral maxillofacial surgeons or practitioners with anesthesia experience, or advanced cardiac life support training. These specialists most likely will use their advanced armamentarium to manage medical emergencies in a different manner compared to the average general practitioner.