By Dr. Don Cohen, ,Because a medical emergency can happen at any time, all dental offices should be equipped and trained to respond to medical emergencies. There is a consensus among dental thought leaders, including the American Dental Association, about the core medications that should make up the basic emergency medical kit., ,•Epinephrine – More commonly known as adrenaline, epinephrine is a hormone that causes an increase in heart rate, muscle strength, blood pressure, and sugar metabolism. Epinephrine injections are used to treat anaphylaxis resulting from a severe allergic reaction or acute asthmatic attack. An epinephrine auto-injector is essential to providing a rapid initial response. A back-up injection should also be on hand in case the patient has a biphasic reaction.,•Albuterol – An albuterol inhaler is an asthma inhaler used to treat acute bronchospasms in asthma attacks.,•Diphenhydramine – Diphenhydramine is a histamine blocker used to treat patients with mild or delayed-onset allergic reactions.,•Aspirin – Aspirin is administered as part of the MONA protocol when myocardial infarction is suspected.,•Nitroglycerin – Nitroglycerin is a coronary vasodilator used to relieve severe angina symptoms such as chest pain or pressure. Nitroglycerin may be administered through a sublingual tablet or translingual spray.,•Glucose – Glucose is a simple sugar used to treat diabetic or hypoglycemic patients during a blood sugar-related emergency., ,Because of the growing opioid addiction epidemic, the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone, often sold under the brand name NARCAN® is now recommended as an emergency drug for dentistry., ,HealthFirst offers a complete line of medications to help dental practices and oral surgeons prepare for a medical emergency. The HealthFirst Auto-Replenishment Service and OnTraq application use smart automation to track expiration dates of medications and devices, refilling them before they expire, keeping medications up-to-date while saving time and lowering costs.
