Penthrox information for Ambulance crews, provided by Magpas Air Ambulance in conjunction with BCH Police
The patient you are attending has had Penthrox administered by a trained police officer. As the patient is now in your care, their Penthrox has been stopped.
It's important to note that once the patient has stopped using Penthrox, it does not affect any other analgesic drug you wish to give and you are encouraged to manage their pain as you would normally.
Please find all the information you should need on this drug below, and ensure that this information is handed over to staff in the Emergency Department.
- Penthrox is an inhaled analgesic indicated for the emergency relief of moderate to severe pain in conscious adult patients with trauma and associated pain
- Penthrox can be self-administered by conscious adults over 18 years under the supervision of a person trained in its administration
- The active ingredient in Penthrox is methoxyflurane. The starting dose is 3ml (one bottle)
- A patient can receive a maximum of 6ml (two bottles) in a single day
- Fast and effective: onset pain relief within 6-10 inhalations with peak effect at approximately 15 minutes after the start of treatment
- Penthrox can provide analgesic relief for up to 25-30 minutes with continuous use, or up to 1 hour with intermittent use. The use of a maximum of two doses (6ml) may provide analgesia for up to 2 hours
- Once the effects of Penthrox have ceased the patient no longer requires post-treatment monitoring by a HCP
- Penthrox is generally well tolerated and the majority of adverse reactions are mild and transient
- Penthrox cannot be used in all patients, such as those with clinically significant renal impairment or an altered level of consciousness
Common side effects include dizziness (very common), euphoria/feeling drunk (common), nausea (common), headache (common) and a cough (common). These stop soon after stopping the use of Penthrox.
A full list of side effects can be found here.
If you need to know more from the officer who administered Penthrox, please call 101 and quote the date and the CAD number printed on the card with the patient.
More information is available at: www.penthrox.co.uk
Please don't hesitate to reach out to Magpas Air Ambulance if you have any comments or questions about the police officer’s use of Penthrox.