None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
One option that ambulance staff have at their disposal for managing patient pain is Penthrox (methoxyflurane), which produces a vapour that the patient inhales. Research of one-off Penthrox doses indicate that the drug is safe. However ambulance staff will be repeatedly exposed to trace quantities of vapour over months and years of treating patients. Methoxyflurane can cause raised blood fluoride level, and if these levels become high enough it can be toxic. We are observing ambulance staff over a prolonged period to determine whether or not their blood fluoride level increases to dangerous levels over time.
Interventions
Emergency Medical Technicians in a metropolitan ambulance service will be using Penthrox (methoxyflurane) following newly introduced operational guidelines, occasionally administering up to 6mL to each patient as needed for pain relief. We expect they will be exposed to trace vapour (quantity not known) and that this may result in elevated serum fluoride in those staff. We will observe their serum fluoride over the course of 24 months to identify whether there is any evidence of fluoride accumul
Emergency Medical Technicians in a metropolitan ambulance service will be using Penthrox (methoxyflurane) following newly introduced operational guidelines, occasionally administering up to 6mL to each patient as needed for pain relief. We expect they will be exposed to trace vapour (quantity not known) and that this may result in elevated serum fluoride in those staff. We will observe their serum fluoride over the course of 24 months to identify whether there is any evidence of fluoride accumulation.
Sponsors
Dr. Paul Docherty
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Ambulance officers rostered in full time patient contact role. Preferential recruitment of Emergency Medical Technicians over other qualifications.
Exclusion criteria
Staff members expected to leave the ambulance service in the course of the trial.
Outcome results
None listed