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ED treatment costs are more dependent on factors such as staff time and length of patient stay than on drug price. Researchers in Hong Kong performed a "cost consequence analysis" (comparison of costs with various outcomes) to test their hypothesis that, although ketorolac is about 3 times more expensive than morphine, examination of related costs would prove it more cost-effective. In a randomized, double-blind study, 148 adults presenting to the ED with painful isolated limb injuries (mostly fractures) received titrated IV ketorolac (maximum dose, 30 mg) or IV morphine (maximum dose, 15 mg).
Baseline characteristics, satisfaction with management, and total ED time were similar between groups. Morphine recipients were 16 times more likely t…