Re: Trauma analgesia

[GBSimons@aol.com]

Hello All!
       I'm all for relieving a patient's pain. They feel much better, and I 
think you get a better exam once you settle them down a bit. Of course, you 
don't want to snow them. One caution, though. Be careful with narcotics such 
as morphine when used in patients who are hemodynamically unstable, or who 
have the potential to become very unstable very quickly (i.e., dissecting 
AAA). Narcan will reverse the CNS effects of narcotics well and make them 
breathe again and wake up. The effect of morphine on the cardiovascular 
system is not so easily reversed. The dilatory effect on vasculature is due 
to direct effect of the narcotic on the vessels. This does not respond as 
well to Narcan. Or so I was taught...

George Simons RN, MS, FNP-C
Flight Nurse
Life Net Arizona
Tucson, Arizona

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