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Electrocution/Electrical Burns

Date Last Search Run: Nov 06, 2025
Table last updated: Oct 30, 2025
Data last added: Oct 26, 2025

Recommendation RECOMMENDATION FOR INTERVENTION
STRENGTH OF EVIDENCE FOR INTERVENTION   SUPPORTIVE (Green) NEUTRAL (Yellow) AGAINST (Red) NOT YET GRADED (White)
1 (strong evidence exists)    
2 (fair evidence exists)    
3 (weak evidence exists)      


Interventions

12-Lead ECG
Level Direction Primary Outcome Patient/Process Setting Reference
II Supportive (Green) Identification of arrhythmias requiring hospital treatment Process PH-Paramedic Corrall S, Laws S, Rice A. Low-voltage electrical injuries and the electrocardiogram: is a “normal” electrocardiogram sufficient for safe discharge from care? A systematic review. Br Paramed J 2023; 8(3):27-36. Medline
III Neutral (Yellow) Arrhythmias Process ED-MD Bailey B., Gaudreault P., Thivierge RL., Turgeon JP. Cardiac monitoring of children with household electrical injuries. Annals of EM 1995; 25:612-7. Medline
III Neutral (Yellow) Recognition of arrhythmia Process ED-MD Svendsen TB, Bærheim D, Dale J, Goffeng LO, Vesterfjell SP, Ofstad EH, Næss-Pleym LE, Bjørnsen LP. Patients with low-voltage electric shock referred to an Emergency Department. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen 2022; 141(1). Medline

Cardiac Monitor
Level Direction Primary Outcome Patient/Process Setting Reference
II Supportive (Green) Identification of cardiac arrhythmias requiring treatment Process PH-Paramedic Corrall S, Laws S, Rice A. Low-voltage electrical injuries and the electrocardiogram: is a “normal” electrocardiogram sufficient for safe discharge from care? A systematic review. Br Paramed J 2023; 8(3):27-36. Medline
II Neutral (Yellow) Initial rhythm in electrocution OHCA, shockable vs non shockable compared to other groups. Process PH-Paramedic Smith A, Mason R, Kilsby J, Dantanarayana A, Walker T, Nehme Z. Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest secondary to electrocution: Characteristics and outcomes. Resuscitation June 2025; 214:110696. Medline
III Neutral (Yellow) Risk of late arrhythmia Process ED-MD Bailey B., Gaudreault P., Thivierge RL. Cardiac monitoring of high-risk patients after an electrical injury: a prospective multicenter study. EMJ 2007; 24:348-52. Medline
III Neutral (Yellow) Arrhythmias Process ED-MD Bailey B., Gaudreault P., Thivierge RL., Turgeon JP. Cardiac monitoring of children with household electrical injuries. Annals of EM 1995; 25:612-7. Medline
III Neutral (Yellow) Identification of Arrhythmias Process ED-MD Blackwell N., Hayllar J. A three year prospective audit of 212 presentations to the emergency department after electrical injury with a management protocol. Postgrad Med J 2002; 78:283-5. Medline

Crystalloid Fluid
Level Direction Primary Outcome Patient/Process Setting Reference

C-Spine immobilization
Level Direction Primary Outcome Patient/Process Setting Reference

Dry Dressing
Level Direction Primary Outcome Patient/Process Setting Reference

NaHCO3
Level Direction Primary Outcome Patient/Process Setting Reference

Opioids
Level Direction Primary Outcome Patient/Process Setting Reference
I Supportive (Green) Analgesia Patient PH-Paramedic Bounes V., Charpentier S., Houze-Cerfon CH., Bellard C., Ducassé JL. Is there an ideal morphine dose for prehospital treatment of severe acute pain? A randomized, double-blind comparison of 2 doses. Am J Emerg Med 2008; 26(2):148-54. Medline
I Supportive (Green) Pain relief using the visual analog scale score Patient PH-Paramedic Galinski M., et al. A randomized double-blind study comparing morphine with fentanyl in prehospital analgesia. Am J Emerg Med 2005; 23:114-9. Medline
II Supportive (Green) Analgesia Patient PH-Paramedic Ricard-Hibon A., et al. Compliance with a morphine protocol and effect on pain relief in out-of-hospital patients. J Emerg Med 2008; 34:305-10. Medline


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