Der Schmerz
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Pharmaceuticals are not always licensed for all medically indicated areas and types of application. The off label use of pharmaceuticals is particularly common in pediatrics. The obligatory licensing of pharmaceuticals according to § 7 AMG (drug registration and administration act) only applies to the dispensing and provision but not for the use in patients, particularly in a perioperative setting. ⋯ Pharmaceuticals can only be used after obtaining appropriate informed consent. The off label use of medications is allowed and sometimes necessary under these prerequisites as long as the administration of the medication is medically indicated and shows promise of success. Furthermore, an application can be permissible for"curative intent".
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Practice Guideline
[Regional anesthesia procedures in childhood : Austrian interdisciplinary recommendations on pediatric perioperative pain management].
Regional anesthesia should be used for children whenever possible and is an essential element of a multimodal pain management. The prerequisites for a safe and effective procedure are detailed knowledge of the anatomical, physiological and pharmacological differences in childhood, the use of age-appropriate equipment and rapid recognition and treatment of possible complications. Extensive experience in pediatric as well as regional anesthesia is essential. ⋯ The use will lead to an increased level of acceptance and user-friendliness of the procedure in childhood. This article presents recommendations which demonstrate those points that must be generally observed when carrying out regional anesthesia in children. An overview of the regional anesthesia procedure in children is given.
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Practice Guideline
[Pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic characteristics of pain therapy in neonates : Austrian interdisciplinary recommendations on pediatric perioperative pain management].
The false assumption that neonates are less sensitive to pain than adults led to a long delay in the introduction of a reasonable pain therapy for children. Even if the basic principles of the development, transmission and perception of pain in premature infants and neonates are not completely understood, the results of studies have clearly shown that pain can be perceived from 22 weeks of gestation onwards. This knowledge results in the necessity to also administer an adequate pain therapy to premature and newly born infants. ⋯ The different physical proportions also modify the dosing of pharmaceuticals. Children in the first year of life differ substantially from adults in physiology, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. The care of neonates and infants requires specialist knowledge which is described in this article.