Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Best Evidence Review: Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen With Codeine -- Which Is Better for Acute Pain in Children?

From Medscape Family Medicine > Best Evidence Review
Charles P. Vega, MD

Clinical Pearls
Forearm fracture is most common among children between the ages of 10 and 14, and there is evidence that the prevalence of pediatric forearm fracture is increasing.
Many children do not receive adequate analgesia in the acute care setting.
Adverse events related to analgesics are common in children and frequently are preventable.
The current study found that ibuprofen and acetaminophen with codeine provide similar levels of effective acute analgesia in children with injury to an extremity.
Adverse events were rare with both ibuprofen and acetaminophen with codeine in the current study.
The precise analgesic regimen for children is not as critical as adherence to a protocol of regular assessment and treatment of pain, both in the clinical setting and at home.

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