Pharmacologic Management of Pain, Agitation, and Delirium in Burn Patients

Kaitlin A Pruskowski; Maximilian Feth; Linda Hong; Amanda R Wiggins

doi:10.1016/j.suc.2023.02.003

Pharmacologic Management of Pain, Agitation, and Delirium in Burn Patients

Surg Clin North Am. 2023 Jun;103(3):495-504. doi: 10.1016/j.suc.2023.02.003. Epub 2023 Mar 21.

Authors

Kaitlin A Pruskowski¹, Maximilian Feth², Linda Hong³, Amanda R Wiggins³

Affiliations

¹ US Army Institute of Surgical Research, 3698 Chambers Pass, ATTN: FCMR-SRT, JBSA Fort Sam, Houston, TX 78234, USA; Uniformed Services University, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA. Electronic address: Kaitlin.a.pruskowski.civ@health.mil.
² US Army Institute of Surgical Research, 3698 Chambers Pass, ATTN: FCMR-SRT, JBSA Fort Sam, Houston, TX 78234, USA; Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Pain Therapy, Federal Armed Forces Hospital Ulm, Oberer Eselsberg 40, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
³ US Army Institute of Surgical Research, 3698 Chambers Pass, ATTN: FCMR-SRT, JBSA Fort Sam, Houston, TX 78234, USA.

PMID: 37149385
DOI: 10.1016/j.suc.2023.02.003

Abstract

The majority of hospitalized burn patients experience pain, agitation, and delirium. The development of each one of these conditions can also lead to, or worsen, the others. Providers, therefore, need to thoroughly assess the underlying issue to determine the most effective treatment. Multimodal pharmacologic regimens are often used in conjunction with non-pharmacologic strategies to manage pain, agitation, and delirium. This review focuses on the pharmacologic management of these complicated patients in a critical-care setting.

Keywords: Agitation; Burn; Critical care; Delirium; Pain.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Critical Care
Delirium* / drug therapy
Delirium* / etiology
Humans
Intensive Care Units
Pain / drug therapy
Pain / etiology
Pain Management
Psychomotor Agitation* / drug therapy
Psychomotor Agitation* / etiology