Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.3325/cmj.2025.66.220
Inadequate pain management in prehospital emergency care: a retrospective study from Krapina-Zagorje County
Morena Milić
; Department of Day Surgery, Dubrava University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia
Ada Barić Grgurević
; Department of Anesthesia, Children’s Hospital Srebrnjak, Zagreb, Croatia
Josip Vrdoljak
; University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
Krunoslav Fučkar
; Department of Resuscitation and Intensive Care Medicine, Krapinske Toplice Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation, Zagreb, Croatia
Ana Brundula
; Polyclinic Amruševa, Zagreb, Croatia
*
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Aim To assess the type of analgesics administered and
their frequency of administration in pre-hospital pain man
agement in Krapina-Zagorje County, Croatia.
Methods We retrospectively reviewed the data from
86 573 patients treated by the Emergency Department
of Krapina-Zagorje County from October 1, 2017 to Sep
tember 30, 2022. Data were obtained through the “e-Hitna”
program. The inclusion criterion was a possible occurrence
of pain based on the International Classification of Diseas
es diagnosis in patients who were treated by emergency
team 1. We collected data on the type of analgesic and the
frequency of administration according to age, the main
diagnosis, emergency index, and the visual analog scale
(VAS) score.
Results In 75% of the patients (64 938), analgesics were
not administered. When analgesics were administered
(21 635; 25%), physicians mostly opted for non-opioid an
algesics (15 480, 71.6%). Opioid analgesia was usually the
treatment of choice in palliative care. Tramadol was admin
istered significantly more often than morphine or pethi
dine (P < 0.001, χ2 test).
Conclusion Despite wide accessibility of analgesics, pain
is still not treated adequately in the Emergency Depart
ment of Krapina-Zagorje County.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
352492
URI
Publication date:
25.6.2025.
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