Underutilization of Glucagon in the Prehospital Setting
Authors: Kimberly Pruett, Chelsea C. White IV, Darren Braude
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2018)

Letters18 September 2018Underutilization of Glucagon in the Prehospital SettingKimberly Pruett, MD, Chelsea C. White IV, MD, NRP, and Darren Braude, MD, EMT-PKimberly Pruett, MDUniversity of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico (K.P., D.B.)Search for more papers by this author, Chelsea C. White IV, MD, NRPUniversity of New Mexico Center for Rural and Tribal EMS and University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico (C.C.W.)Search for more papers by this author, and Darren Braude, MD, EMT-PUniversity of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico (K.P., D.B.)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L18-0298 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Kahn and colleagues (1) make a case for greater use of glucagon by providers of basic emergency medicine in the prehospital setting. We concur that glucagon should be more available to providers without access to more preferred options to treat profoundly hypoglycemic patients. However, we believe that the authors' misunderstanding of modern prehospital care has led them to overstate the magnitude of this situation.Kahn and colleagues are correct that use of glucagon by emergency medical services (EMS) personnel is restricted to paramedics in most states. They then assume that this factor “probably” impedes patient care, because ...References1. Kahn PA, Wagner NE, Gabbay RA. Underutilization of glucagon in the prehospital setting. Ann Intern Med. 2018;168:603-4. [PMID: 29277850]. doi:10.7326/M17-2222 LinkGoogle Scholar2. Rostykus P, Kennel J, Adair K, Fillinger M, Palmberg R, Quinn A, et al. Variability in the treatment of prehospital hypoglycemia: a structured review of EMS protocols in the United States. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2016;20:524-30. [PMID: 26930393] doi:10.3109/10903127.2015.1128031 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico (K.P., D.B.)University of New Mexico Center for Rural and Tribal EMS and University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico (C.C.W.)Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=L18-0298. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoUnderutilization of Glucagon in the Prehospital Setting Peter A. Kahn , Nicole E. Wagner , and Robert A. Gabbay Underutilization of Glucagon in the Prehospital Setting Michael E. Mullins , William H. Dribben , and Bridget Svancarek Underutilization of Glucagon in the Prehospital Setting Robert A. Gabbay , Peter A. Kahn , and Nicole E. Wagner Metrics 18 September 2018Volume 169, Issue 6Page: 426KeywordsAllied health care professionalsEmergency medical servicesEmergency medicineFearGlucagonGlucoseHypoglycemiaHypoglycemicsMucous membranesPatients ePublished: 18 September 2018 Issue Published: 18 September 2018 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2018 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...