International journal of cardiology
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This study aims to describe patients who called for the emergency medical service (EMS) due to chest discomfort, in relation to gender and age. ⋯ Men and the elderly were given a disproportionately low priority by the EMS.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Feasibility of a cardiologist-only approach to sedation for electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation: a randomized, open-blinded, prospective study.
Sedation with propofol should be administered by personnel trained in advanced airway management. To overcome this limitation, the use of short acting benzodiazepines by cardiologists spread widely, causing concerns about the safety of this procedure in the absence of anesthesiology assistance. The aim of the study was to compare feasibility of a cardiologist-only approach with an anesthesiologist-assisted sedation protocol during elective direct-current cardioversion (DCC) of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). ⋯ Sedation with midazolam administered by cardiologist-only appears to be as safe as sedation with propofol and anesthesiologist assistance. Adverse events were few in both groups and easily handled by the cardiologist alone. A cardiologist-only approach to sedation provides less procedural delay, thus being easier to schedule and correlated with fewer costs.
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Observational Study
Predictors of favorable and poor prognosis in unwitnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with a non-shockable initial rhythm.
Unwitnessed OHCA patients with non-shockable initial rhythms account for nearly half of all OHCA patients, and their prognosis is extremely poor. To date, no studies have focused on these patients. This study aimed to investigating the predictors of favorable and poor prognosis in these patients. ⋯ It may be worthwhile to provide maximum lifesaving medical resources for patients with all of the favorable predictors (<65 years, conversion to shockable rhythm, and pre-hospital ROSC); however, continued resuscitation efforts for patients without these predictors should likely be restrained.