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[Evaluation of acute pain in prehospital medicine]

A Ricard-Hibon1, N Leroy, M Magne

  • 1Smur Beaujon, service d'anesthésie-réanimation, hôpital Beaujon, France.

Annales Francaises D'Anesthesie Et De Reanimation
|January 1, 1997
PubMed

Insights

Acute pain is common in prehospital emergency care, with pain scales like the Verbal Rating Scale (VRS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) proving effective for assessment. However, pain management remains inadequate, necessitating improved treatment protocols.

Area of Science:

  • Emergency Medicine
  • Pain Management
  • Clinical Assessment

Background:

  • Acute pain is a frequent and significant issue in the prehospital setting.
  • Effective assessment of pain intensity is crucial for appropriate patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the prevalence and management of acute pain in prehospital emergency medicine.
  • To assess the utility of pain scales (VRS and VAS) in this context.
  • To identify inadequacies in pain treatment.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective survey was conducted over three months.
  • Eligible adult patients were assessed using the Verbal Rating Scale (VRS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS).
  • Pain intensity, patient demand for analgesia, and relief obtained were recorded at the beginning and end of medical management.

Main Results:

  • Of 255 patients, 42% reported pain via VRS, and 60% could use VAS.
  • VRS and VAS scores showed significant correlation (P < 0.001).
  • Despite significant pain (VAS >= 30 mm), only 31% requested analgesia, and 64% received it; pain improved but remained high, with only 49% reporting good relief.

Conclusions:

  • Acute pain is prevalent in prehospital care, and validated scales like VRS and VAS are useful for its assessment.
  • Current pain management in this setting is frequently inadequate.
  • There is a critical need to develop and implement improved pain treatment protocols, potentially including opioids, to address these inadequacies.
Abstract

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