Use of and attitudes to the role of medication for acute whiplash injury: A preliminary survey of emergency department doctors

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Author(s)
Nikles, Jane
Keijzers, Gerben
De Silva, Muthuwahandi Ishan Diluka
Khan, Subaat
Sterling, Michele
Year published
2019
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Objective: Describe current practice of medication prescribing for acute whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) in the ED and explore attitudes towards pregabalin prescription for WAD. Methods: Questionnaire-based survey in two EDs collected data on demographics and self-reported medication prescribing for WAD. Comfort in various scenarios for pregabalin prescribing was rated. Results: A total of 145/170 (85%) doctors responded; 42.8% were junior doctors. Self-reported medications prescribed were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (77.9% [95% confidence interval (CI) 70.1–84.2]), paracetamol (75.2% [95% CI 67.2–81.8]), opioids ...
View more >Objective: Describe current practice of medication prescribing for acute whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) in the ED and explore attitudes towards pregabalin prescription for WAD. Methods: Questionnaire-based survey in two EDs collected data on demographics and self-reported medication prescribing for WAD. Comfort in various scenarios for pregabalin prescribing was rated. Results: A total of 145/170 (85%) doctors responded; 42.8% were junior doctors. Self-reported medications prescribed were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (77.9% [95% confidence interval (CI) 70.1–84.2]), paracetamol (75.2% [95% CI 67.2–81.8]), opioids (43.5% [95% CI 35.3–51.9]) and benzodiazepines (11.0% [95% CI 6.6–17.6]). Most were comfortable to prescribe pregabalin in evidence-based or advised-by-specialists scenarios. Conclusions: Opioids appear to be over-prescribed. Further research into pregabalin prescription in ED is warranted.
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View more >Objective: Describe current practice of medication prescribing for acute whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) in the ED and explore attitudes towards pregabalin prescription for WAD. Methods: Questionnaire-based survey in two EDs collected data on demographics and self-reported medication prescribing for WAD. Comfort in various scenarios for pregabalin prescribing was rated. Results: A total of 145/170 (85%) doctors responded; 42.8% were junior doctors. Self-reported medications prescribed were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (77.9% [95% confidence interval (CI) 70.1–84.2]), paracetamol (75.2% [95% CI 67.2–81.8]), opioids (43.5% [95% CI 35.3–51.9]) and benzodiazepines (11.0% [95% CI 6.6–17.6]). Most were comfortable to prescribe pregabalin in evidence-based or advised-by-specialists scenarios. Conclusions: Opioids appear to be over-prescribed. Further research into pregabalin prescription in ED is warranted.
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Journal Title
EMA - Emergency Medicine Australasia
Volume
31
Issue
3
Copyright Statement
© 2018 ACEM and ASEM. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Use of and attitudes to the role of medication for acute whiplash injury: A preliminary survey of emergency department doctors, Emergency Medicine Australasia, Volume31, Issue3, June 2019, Pages 471-474, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/1742-6723.13190. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving (http://olabout.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-828039.html)
Subject
Clinical sciences
Health services and systems
Public health