Studio sull'appropriatezza prescrittiva della terapia del dolore postoperatorio nell'unità operativa di anestesia e rianimazione presso l'azienda ospedaliera «Ospedale Treviglio-Caravaggio»

Introduction. Pain has been one of the major concerns of mankind, and the subject of attempts to understand and control it. In compliance with the guidelines of the Ministering of Health aimed to curb substantially the prevalence of pain in hospital settings, the ad hoc commission was established also in the general hospital of Treviglio-Caravaggio. One of its activity is reported here, and provides the profile of pharmacological control of post-operative pain in the ICU during 2009. Material and methods. The demographic, clinical, nursing data available in the medical records of a random sample of 97 patients were the source of information. Results. The detailed analysis of the prescription of all drug showed that there was a substantially adherence to the operational protocols established by the commission, with morphine being the most frequently prescribed medication. For up to 66% of patients, pain was reported as satisfactory controlled, and for 16% uncontrolled. For an important fraction of 18% the available data did not allow a proper evaluation. Conclusions. The work done over the five year of existence of the Commissions appear to have produced a situation of procedural appropriateness, which could certainly be further improved in terms of clinical effectiveness.