Editing Paramedic (section)

===Emergency pharmacology===
Paramedics carry and administer a wide array of emergency [[medications]]. The specific medications they are permitted to administer vary widely, based on local standards of care and protocols. For an accurate description of permitted drugs or procedures in a given location, it is necessary to contact that jurisdiction directly. A representative list of medications may commonly include:
[[File:Patient Care.jpg|right|thumb|A paramedic preparing an intravenous infusion for a patient]]
* [[Analgesic]] medications such as [[aspirin]], [[ketorolac]] and [[paracetamol|paracetamol (acetaminophen)]], used to relieve pain or decrease nausea and vomiting
* [[Narcotic]]s like [[morphine]], [[pethidine]], [[fentanyl]], and [[methoxyflurane]], used to treat severe pain. 
* Beta and calcium channel blockers such as [[diltiazem]], [[metoprolol]] and [[verapamil]] used to slow down excessively high [[heart rate]]s or severe [[hypertension]]
* [[Parasympatholytic]] drug such as [[Atropine]], also known as anticholinergic drugs, used to speed up slow [[bradycardia|bradycardic]] heart rates
* [[Sympathomimetics]]<ref>{{cite journal | author = De Backer D | year = 2011 | title = Treatment of shock | journal = Acta Clinica Belgica | volume = 66 | issue = 6| pages = 438–442 | doi = 10.2143/ACB.66.6.2062611 | doi-broken-date = 1 November 2024 | pmid = 22338308 | id = {{ProQuest|1002208084}} }}</ref> such as [[dopamine]], [[dobutamine]], [[norepinephrine (drug)|norepinephrine]], and [[epinephrine]] used for [[cardiac arrest]], severe [[hypotension]] (low blood pressure), [[Shock (circulatory)|shock]] and [[sepsis]]. These are often known as "vasoactive" agents. 
*[[Dextrose]] (often D50W, a solution of 50% dextrose in water), used to treat [[hypoglycemia]] (low blood sugar)
* [[Sedative]]s like [[midazolam]], [[lorazepam]], [[etomidate]], and [[ketamine]]<ref name="Metcalf2018">{{cite journal|last1=Metcalf|first1=Matthew|title=Ketamine administration by HART paramedics: a clinical audit review|journal=Journal of Paramedic Practice|volume=10|issue=10|year=2018|pages=430–437|issn=1759-1376|doi=10.12968/jpar.2018.10.10.430|s2cid=57321666}}</ref><ref name="SvensonBiedermann2011">{{cite journal|last1=Svenson|first1=James|last2=Biedermann|first2=Marc|title=Ketamine: a unique drug with several potential uses in the prehospital setting|journal=Journal of Paramedic Practice|volume=3|issue=10|year=2011|pages=552–556|issn=1759-1376|doi=10.12968/jpar.2011.3.10.552}}</ref> used to reduce the irritability or agitation of patients, to relieve symptoms of seizure, or provide procedural sedation
* [[Paralytic]]s such as [[succinylcholine]], [[rocuronium]], and [[vecuronium]], used when an emergency procedure such as [[Rapid sequence induction|rapid sequence intubation (RSI)]] is required<ref name="DurhamWesthead2020">{{cite journal|last1=Durham|first1=Mark|last2=Westhead|first2=Pete|last3=Griffiths|first3=David|last4=Lyon|first4=Richard|last5=Lau-Walker|first5=Margaret|title=Prehospital neuromuscular blockade post OHCA: UK's first paramedic-delivered protocol|journal=Journal of Paramedic Practice|volume=12|issue=5|year=2020|pages=202–207|issn=1759-1376|doi=10.12968/jpar.2020.12.5.202|s2cid=219044909}}</ref>
* [[Antipsychotic]]s like [[haloperidol]] or [[ziprasidone]], used to sedate combative patients
* Respiratory medications such as [[albuterol]] and [[ipratropium bromide]] used to treat conditions such as asthma and acute bronchitis
* Steroids such as [[hydrocortisone]] and [[methylprednisolone]] used to treat inflammatory respiratory conditions and [[adrenal crisis]]
* Cardiac medications such as [[nitroglycerin]] and aspirin are used to treat cardiac ailments such as angina and myocardial infarctions
* Diuretic medications such as [[furosemide]] to treat [[congestive heart failure]] and severe hypertension
* [[Antiarrhythmics]] such as [[amiodarone]], [[adenosine]], [[lidocaine]] and [[magnesium sulfate]] used to treat [[arrhythmia|abnormal heart rhythms]] such as [[ventricular tachycardia]] and [[ventricular fibrillation]]
* [[Antiemetics]] such as [[promethazine]] or [[ondansetron]] used for nausea and vomiting
* [[Antidotes]] for a variety of [[toxins]] such as [[naloxone]] (opioids), [[pralidoxime]] ([[organophosphate]]s), sodium bicarbonate (tricyclic antidepressants), and [[hydroxocobalamin]] (cyanide). 
*[[Blood transfusion|Blood products]] and [[tranexamic acid]] in cases of [[Shock (circulatory)|hemorrhagic shock]]
* Broad spectrum [[antibiotics]] such as [[ceftriaxone]] or [[vancomycin]] for cases of [[sepsis]]
* Hormones like [[oxytocin]] to control post-partum bleeding