Biomedical subjects

Tricia Soliz

Publications and source records attributed to Tricia Soliz.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Antiemetics in the ED: a randomized controlled trial comparing 3 common agents.

We sought to compare the efficacy of 3 intravenous antiemetic medications in ED patients complaining of moderate to severe nausea. This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial compares 1.25 mg droperidol, 10 mg metoclopramide, 10 mg prochlorperazine, and saline placebo. Adult ED patients complaining of nausea were eligible. Nausea was measured on a 100-mm visual analog scale at 0 and 30 minutes after treatment. A convenience sample of 100 patients was enrolled; 97 had complete data available for analysis. Of these, 22 patients received droperidol, 25 received metoclopramide, 24 received prochlorperazine, and 26 received placebo. Droperidol (-54.5 mm) was significantly better than metoclopramide (-40.2 mm) or prochlorperazine (-40.5 mm) at reducing nausea at 30 minutes (P = .04). There were no significant differences in rescue medication or patient satisfaction; however, droperidol had significantly higher akathisia (71.4% vs 23.5%) at 24-hour follow-up. When administered intravenously to adult patients with moderate to severe nausea, droperidol was more effective than metoclopramide or prochlorperazine but caused more extrapyramidal symptoms. Metoclopramide and prochlorperazine were not more effective than saline placebo. All patients improved over time and possibly with intravenous hydration.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Overnight and postcall errors in medication orders.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the error rates in medication orders by physicians who were off call, on overnight call, and postcall. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of inpatient medication orders, pharmacy records, and resident physician work schedules in a university-affiliated community teaching hospital with residency programs in emergency medicine, family practice, internal medicine, obstetrics, pediatrics, and surgery. The authors calculated error rates, odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for physicians during April 2000. RESULTS: In 8,195 medication orders, there were 177 errors (2.16% overall error rate). There was an increased error rate for overnight and postcall orders (2.71%, OR 1.44, 95% CI = 1.06 to 1.95) in comparison to orders written by off-call physicians (1.90%). Error rates were significantly higher on the medical/surgical wards during the overnight (3.91%, OR 1.89, 95% CI = 1.22 to 2.92) and postcall (3.41%, OR 1.64, 95% CI = 1.10 to 2.43) periods compared with the off-call (2.11%) period, and postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) physicians had a higher overnight error rate (4.23%, OR 2.28, 95% CI = 1.44 to 3.61). Error rates were also higher on the medical/surgical wards compared with critical care units (2.62% vs. 1.22%, OR 2.17, 95% CI = 1.48 to 3.18). The PGY1 physicians had error rates similar to those of the PGY2-5 physicians when off call, but were significantly higher on overnight call (4.23% vs. 0.52%, OR 8.47, 95% CI = 2.00 to 35.82). CONCLUSIONS: Medication-ordering error rates were higher for overnight and postcall physicians, particularly on the general medical/surgical wards, and in PGY1 physicians during the overnight period.

California↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The incidence and treatment of prehospital motion sickness.

OBJECTIVES: The authors' objectives were: 1) to determine the incidence of motion sickness during ambulance transport on a mountainous route in healthy volunteers, and 2) to determine if droperidol alleviated the signs and symptoms of motion sickness in those volunteers who developed it. METHODS: This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Subjects were healthy volunteers over age 18 and not currently taking an antiemetic. Participants were transported in the back of an ambulance over a mountainous road. Those who developed motion sickness rated their nausea on a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS) and were randomized to receive placebo (saline) or 2.5 mg droperidol intravenously. Symptoms were recorded on a VAS every 5 minutes until the end of the transport. Incidence of motion sickness was calculated as a percentage with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Pretreatment characteristics were compared with chi-square tests, and mean VAS scores were compared using t-tests. RESULTS: Thirty-seven subjects completed the study. Sixteen (43%, 95% CI=27%-59%) developed motion sickness. Fifteen were randomized and completed data collection. Eight received droperidol (mean baseline VAS, 45) and seven received placebo (mean baseline VAS, 40). Droperidol trended toward a greater mean reduction of nausea than placebo at 5 minutes (20 versus 4, p=0.077). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of motion sickness during ambulance transport in a mountainous setting is substantial. There was a strong trend toward a positive treatment effect with droperidol. Further prospective study in an actual patient setting is warranted.

Adult↗