Drug protocols for patients with special needs: a review of the literature

Abstract

There is a great need for dental surgeons to be trained to proceed with patients needing some kind of special care. This study aimed to perform a review of the literature on drug protocols concerning how to treat patients with special needs, within the different areas in which dentists may be engaged. The methodology employed was to review articles dealing with the subjects of diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure, hemophilia, cardiac patients, which were focused on areas of dentistry. A total of 33 articles were selected. Several specific protocols were found on how to act during a consultation of several systemic diseases or in special cases, in order to achieve success during treatment, to avoid drug interactions or to create emergency situations. It was possible, in some cases, to find a consensus between the sequences or the drug of first choice for patients. Serious errors can occur if a dentist is not capable in serious cases. The creation of a protocol for these patients in the different dental specialties would reduce the number of failed treatments, thus increasing the safety and effectiveness of the treatments.