Penthrox is a unique and innovative analgesic inhaler that provides fast-acting pain relief in emergency situations. It is commonly used in pre-hospital and emergency medical settings to manage acute pain and reduce anxiety in patients.
How does Penthrox work?
Penthrox contains methoxyflurane, a volatile liquid that vaporizes at room temperature. When inhaled, the methoxyflurane vapor is absorbed through the lungs and rapidly enters the bloodstream. It then acts on the central nervous system to provide analgesia and induce a state of conscious sedation.
What are the benefits of using Penthrox?
There are several benefits to using Penthrox:
- Rapid onset of action: Penthrox provides pain relief within minutes of inhalation, making it an effective option for managing acute pain.
- Non-invasive: Unlike other methods of pain relief, such as injections or intravenous medications, Penthrox is administered through inhalation, making it a non-invasive option.
- Flexible dosing: Penthrox allows for individualized dosing based on the patient's needs. The patient can control the amount of inhalation, ensuring they receive the appropriate amount of pain relief.
- Reduced anxiety: In addition to its analgesic properties, Penthrox also has an anxiolytic effect, helping to reduce anxiety and promote a sense of calm in patients.
- Easy to use: Penthrox comes in a portable inhaler device, making it convenient and easy to administer in emergency situations.
What are the negatives of using Penthrox?
- Only Licenced for Adults : Penthrox in the UK is only licenced for use in Adults. This means that it can not be used in our paediatric patients.
- Only Licenced for Trauma : Penthrox is only indicated for patents with moderate to sever trauma and can not be used for medical causes of pain
- Can not be used in Confined spaces : Penthrox can not be used in confided spaces, just like other gases! It can lead to trapping of the vapour and everyone, including the rescuers succumbing to the side effects!
Is Penthrox safe to use?
Penthrox has been extensively studied and has a well-established safety profile when used as directed. However, like any medication, it may not be suitable for everyone. It is important to consult with a healthcare professional before using Penthrox, especially if you have any underlying medical conditions or are taking other medications. Here at Apex the medical team will ask you a range of questions, such as your medical history, what medication you are taking and others, to check if you are suitable to receive Pethrox before it is administered to you.
Conclusion
Penthrox is a valuable tool in the management of acute pain and anxiety in emergency situations. Its rapid onset of action, non-invasive administration, and flexible dosing make it an effective and convenient option for healthcare professionals.
We at Apex use Penthrox extensively within our medical teams. It allows rapid high level analgesia to be administered to those patient with significant injuries. This means that the patient can be getting analgesia while other tasks such as IV cannulation is ongoing. It is also super portable which is excellent when working in remote environments or trekking out to casualties. It is important to note, that Penthrox makes up part of our analgesia tool kti here at Apex, It needs to be supplemented with other drugs such as Morphine, Entonox, or Paracetamol to ensure our medical teams are suited and prepared to deal with pain, what ever the cause or level.