Is lorazepam worth the effort to securely refrigerate?
In EMS systems in which benzodiazepines are in-protocol, there is often a discussion about whether lorazepam is worth having on the ambulance, especially since it requires secure, refrigerated storage. In comparison, diazepam and midazolam, which are other commonly carried benzodiazepines, do not require refrigeration. An argument for lorazepam's place on the ambulance can be made by a couple unique features. While midazolam can also be administered by this route, it is more short-acting that lorazepam, and thus is less suitable for...
Blood Pressure: What to know, and how to measure one properly.
Blood pressure is one of the four main vital signs, along with pulse, respirations, and temperature, which are aptly named to reflect their importance in the evaluation of a patient. Blood pressure is an especially important figure, as it is directly proportional to the perfusion pressure of various organs (the pressure needed to squeeze oxygen-carrying blood to vital organs). For example, if a patient's blood pressure is too low, blood may not be able to overcome the resistance of blood vessels...- 1
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