• Kathryn A Elofson, Sarah F Rhoads, Andrew Tang, Joshua B Gaither, and Asad E Patanwala.
• College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Hilliard, OH, USA.
• Air Med. J. 2013 Jul 1;32(4):203-7.

IntroductionThe purpose of this study was to determine the rate of long-acting neuromuscular blocker (LA-NMB) use and evaluate the concurrent use of sedatives during prehospital care.SettingPrehospital patients who were brought to a single emergency department in the United States.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study of trauma patients who were intubated in the prehospital setting. The primary outcome measure was to determine the rate of LA-NMB use. The use of postintubation sedatives and the time to the administration of sedative agents was compared between patients who received an LA-NMB and those who did not.ResultsA total of 51 patients were included in the final analyses. Overall, 82% (n = 42) of patients received an LA-NMB during transport. There was no difference in the rate of postintubation sedative use during transport between the LA-NMB and no LA-NMB groups (79% vs. 67%, respectively, P = .42). The LA-NMB group received sedatives less promptly after intubation compared with those who did not receive LA-NMBs (16 vs. 7 minutes, respectively; P = .04).ConclusionThe use of LA-NMB is common during the prehospital transport of trauma patients. Some of these patients may not be given sedatives or may have delays in receiving sedatives after intubation.Copyright © 2013 Air Medical Journal Associates. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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