Emssa.org.za

PRACTICE GUIDELINE
RECOMMENDED DRUGS FOR EMERGENCY CENTRES
This Practice Guideline sets out the recommended drugs to be held in an Emergency
Centre.
The following emergency drugs and IV solutions are listed as essential (must all be
available, together with protocols addressing their use) and recommended (EMSSA
recommends that the Emergency Centre holds these drugs, along with protocols
addressing their use).
This Practice Guideline should be read in conjunction with EM004: Emergency Centre
equipment.
Excluding the cover page, this Practice Guideline is 4 pages.
Date of publication:
EMSSA Practice Guidelines provide advice on recommended practice for emergency centres, emergency personnel The information within these papers statements is advice only. EMSSA wil not be held liable for clinical outcomes ESSENTIAL DRUGS
Activated charcoal Adrenaline Adenosine Amiodarone Antibiotics (range depends on local incidence) Antihistamine (e.g. promethazine) Aspirin Atropine Beta stimulant nebulisation (eg salbutamol) and inhaler with spacer Calcium chloride 10% Clopidogrel Dextrose 50% IV Diazepam Digoxin Fibrinolytics Furosemide Glucagon Heparin Hydrocortisone Insulin Ipratropium nebulisation and inhaler with spacer Lignocaine IV Lignocaine for local infiltation Lorazepam Magnesium Midazolam Morphine Medical oxygen Potassium chloride Phenytoin Post Exposure Prophylaxis starter pack Naloxone Nitroglycerine (spray / sublingual / oral / IV) Sodium bicarbonate 8,5% Succinycholine Thiamine Thiopentone In addition, access to a Poisons Information Database or telephone service is considered essential. EMSSA Practice Guidelines provide advice on recommended practice for emergency centres, emergency personnel The information within these papers statements is advice only. EMSSA wil not be held liable for clinical outcomes ESSENTIAL IV SOLUTIONS
Ringers lactate (or equivalent balanced salt solution) 0.9% NaCl 0.45% NaCl 10% dextrose Appropriate paediatric solutions (e.g. half dextrose darrows, neonatalyte) Colloid solution(s) EMSSA Practice Guidelines provide advice on recommended practice for emergency centres, emergency personnel The information within these papers statements is advice only. EMSSA wil not be held liable for clinical outcomes RECOMMENDED DRUGS
Acetylcysteine Aminophylline Antivenom (snake, spider and scorpion depending on local incidence) Beta blocker IV (preferably short acting e.g. Esmolol) Biperiden Calcium gluconate Clonazepam Clothiapine Dexamethasone Diltiazem Dopamine Dobutamine Etomidate Flumazenil Haloperidol Ketamine Mannitol Neostigmine Phenobarbital Prednisolone Procyclidine Propofol Protamine Rocuronium Vitamin K Vecuronium Verapamil EMSSA Practice Guidelines provide advice on recommended practice for emergency centres, emergency personnel The information within these papers statements is advice only. EMSSA wil not be held liable for clinical outcomes

Source: http://emssa.org.za/documents/em005.pdf