Is it time to change? The use of intranasal fentanyl for severe pain in the pre-hospital setting

Abstract published with permission. The treatment of pain is a commonplace issue for today’s paramedics, where the need for new analgesics to overcome cannulation barriers is gathering momentum. Intranasal fentanyl has proven itself to be a very safe and effective form of analgesia that overcomes those barriers and can help paramedics provide a higher standard of care. Although research into its use in the prehospital environment is still limited, evidence of its effectiveness in the accident and emergency department has highlighted its potential for helping paramedics treat severe pain where venous access is compromised. Studies have shown that intranasal fentanyl compares with the analgesic standard set by intravenous morphine and is rapidly becoming the drug of choice in the paediatric accident and emergency department