Ketamine analgesia — DipIMC MCQ

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ModeratePharmacologyKetamine analgesiaDipIMC

A 26-year-old has a painful mangled hand after farm machinery injury. He is haemodynamically stable but cannot tolerate splinting despite opioids. What is the most appropriate drug/dose?

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Correct answer: A — Give ketamine analgesia according to pre-hospital protocol with monitoring

Give ketamine analgesia according to pre-hospital protocol with monitoring is the best answer because ketamine can provide strong analgesia for severe traumatic pain while preserving cardiovascular stability. Delay medication until hospital review is less appropriate because time-critical emergency drugs should not wait for hospital arrival; Give oral antihistamine as first-line treatment is less appropriate because antihistamines do not treat airway, breathing or circulation compromise. Give nebulised salbutamol as sole treatment and Give intramuscular adrenaline 1 mg are also suboptimal because they move attention away from the key pre-hospital priority.. The key DipIMC principle is to treat immediate reversible threats, communicate clearly and move the patient toward the right definitive care.

Reference: JRCALC Guidelines; ATACC Manual