Pain management
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To provide an update on prescription of naloxone as a harm-reduction strategy, PubMed was searched to identify publications relevant to naloxone prescribing for reversal of opioid overdose. Opportunities now exist to expand naloxone use, although evidence suggests these are often missed or underexploited. ⋯ Effective use of naloxone in community settings requires screening to identify patients at risk of opioid overdose, discussing naloxone use with patients and their relatives, and providing appropriate training. The tools exist to expand the use of naloxone more widely into the community, thereby creating an opportunity to reduce opioid overdose fatalities.
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To assess the pharmacokinetic properties of community-use formulations of naloxone for emergency treatment of opioid overdose. ⋯ The pharmacokinetics of im./sc. auto-injector 2 mg and approved intranasal spray (2 and 4 mg) demonstrated rapid uptake and naloxone exposure exceeding that of the historic benchmark (0.4 mg im.), indicating that naloxone exposure was adequate for reversal of opioid overdose.
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Fear of needles is a well-known phobia among children and adults. This study presents the rationale, feasibility and results of a pilot study applying a virtual reality (VR) headset as a fear reduction and pain distraction during immunizations. ⋯ The use of a VR headset was well received and reduced overall fear and pain in children receiving immunizations.