Inhaled painkiller most effective form of pain relief in ambulance setting, study shows

A new study has shown that an inhaled analgesic recently introduced to the UK is the most effective form of pain relief following traumatic injury.

It’s important that treatment is given within the first hour following a traumatic injury to improve patient survival. More so, effective pain relief can help result in easier injury management and the potential to avoid chronic pain development. Despite this, it’s estimated that less than a third of people in UK ambulances are given appropriate pain relief.

Now, a new study undertaken between the University of Lincoln and the the East Midlands Ambulance Service has revealed that the analgesic Penthrox (methoxyflurane) acts quicker than other painkillers used in a prehospital setting. In particular, the study shows that Penthrox acts more than three times quicker than the most frequently used – and also inhaled – analgesic, Entonox, more than three times quicker than intravenous paracetamol, and twice as quick as intravenous morphine to reduce severe pain.

Methoxyflurane is an inhaled analgesic that can be self-administered by patients under the supervision of a healthcare professional trained in its administration. It is already regularly used in UK emergency departments but its use in ambulances is not as widespread. 

It’s hoped that the evidence from the new study will provide prehospital emergency staff  with the data needed to feel confident choosing methoxyflurane as a first-line treatment option for moderate-to-severe trauma pain.

Chief investigator, professor Aloysius Niroshan Siriwardena, said: “There are many barriers to adequate pain relief. This study is the first to compare methoxyflurane with all other commonly used analgesics in the prehospital setting and the superior results add to the weight of positive findings from other UK and European hospital studies. 

“From an academic perspective, it is an important addition to the evidence, and we look forward to seeing how greater uptake impacts patients in other ambulance trusts.”

Dr Leon Roberts, medical director for East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, which carried out the study, added: “Rapid and effective pain relief is undeniably important in the prehospital setting and this study shows that emergency care staff have access to a well-tolerated treatment, which is easy to administer. EMAS is proud to be a leading organisation in prehospital research collaborating with key partners such as the University of Lincoln, who has analysed and evaluated this data.”