How to respond to medical emergencies in a dental setting?

A patient who had an allergic reaction to penicillin while at a visit to the dentist

How to respond to medical emergencies in a dental setting?
I think you do the same as everyone else - call an ambulance or take the person to the emergency room to get checked out.


Any allergic reaction can be life threatening and I doubt the dental practice or staff are equipped or trained to deal with that kind of emergency.
Reply:life threatening anaphylaxis characterized by bronchospasm,hypotension or shock


0.2-0.5cc of 1\1000 aqueous epinephrine should be injected


SC OR IM and emergency services contacted


inj.could be repeated every 20-30 minutes if necessary for as many of 3 doses


in mild cases patint should be given 50 mg diphenhydramine IM OR IV


if the reaction continued you can give him 0.3cc 1\1000 epinephrine by sc or im injection


some times you must supply oxygen with face masck while waiting for emergency services.


it is a great question ,thanks.
Reply:Dental offices train in this all the time. First, we would be very careful to get a complete medical history and ask the patient what medications they had taken that day.





If a patient has any signs of distress while undergoing treatment (trouble breathing or rapid heartbeat for example), we would stop what we are doing, check vital signs snd then call paramedics.





All of us are trained in CPR, and have a well-practiced protocol for such emergencies. You would be safer at your dentist than at the grocery store, for example.
Reply:P A B C D. Position in supine position, maintain an airway, give basic life support (if needed), maintain circulation, and get patient definitive care (call 911).


You alert the dentist to the problem and the dentist is in control. If 911 needs to be called he will tell someone to do so. If epinephrine needs to be injected in the patient he will do so.
Reply:A reaction to penicillin would actually be very unlikely in the dental office unless you are giving penicillin injections. If you are, you NEED to be trained and prepared to deal with allergic reactions and Yahoo! is not the place to get the training. If you do not know where to get the training, do not give any injections.





If the patient is having a reaction that is limited to some rash and itching, you can use oral Benadryl 50 mg and see how it goes. If it is a more severe reaction, you wil need to have and use epinephrine. See my prior comments about proper training.