Recommendations for stocking and using antidotes in hospitals of varying levels of complexity

• Published in: Emergencias : revista de la Sociedad Espanola de Medicina de Emergencias Vol. 28; no. 1; p. 45
• Main Authors: Aguilar-Salmerón, Raquel, Martínez-Sánchez, Lídia, Broto-Sumalla, Antoni, Fernández de Gamarra-Martínez, Edurne, García-Pelaéz, Milagros, Nogué-Xarau, Santiago
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Spain 01.02.2016
• Subjects: Availability of antidotes; Antidotes; Antídoto; Botiquín de antídotos; Intoxicación aguda; Acute poisoning; Antidotes stock; Disponibilidad de antídotos
• ISSN: 2386-5857

The stocking of antidotes in various care settings is a subject of debate. A group of experts in hospital pharmacy and both adult and pediatric clinical toxicology was formed to review the Spanish and international literature on the subject with the aim of updating recommendations about which antidotes to stock and in what amounts in hospitals of different levels of complexity. The experts also considered the usual indications for the use of antidotes and dosing. The amount to have on hand was defined as enough to treat an adult weighing 70 kg for 24 hours (or 3 such adults in an A-level hospital; ie, a highly complex center or the reference hospital for an area). The group also listed 34 antidotes that B-level hospitals should stock and 22 that other types of hospital should stock. The recommendations also provide a guide for using the antidotes in the forms of presentation available in Spain in 2015, a list of their main indications and recommended doses, and specific notes on each.