Symptom Relief Medications

Symptom Relief Medications are five medications that paramedics in Canada are certified to administer under a base hospital physician's license. These medications are:


 * aspirin for chest pain
 * epinephrine for severe asthma exacerbation, and acute anaphylaxis
 * glucagon for acute hypoglycemia
 * nitroglycerin for pulmonary edema and chest pain
 * salbutamol for shortness of breath.

The paramedic is issued a standing order for each use of the medications listed above which includes indications and contraindications for the drugs. Administration of the drugs however, is based solely on the paramedics judgment.