The American journal of emergency medicine
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Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is one of the most frequent causes of emergency department (ED) visits. Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) is a reliable, easy-to-use, and available tool for an accurate diagnosis of ADHF. We aimed to analyze the impact of introducing POCUS as an additional tool to clinical standard diagnosis in clinical times of hospitalized heart failure patients. ⋯ In our study, the introduction of POCUS to ADHF patients decreases time to disposition decision and total length of hospital stay. Conversely, time to treatment augments. There is need for the evaluation of ultrasound as an intervention in clinical trials to confirm these findings.
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The Roth score is an alternative strategy to estimate oxygen saturation by using a simple verbal test. We designed this clinical study to assess the validity of the Roth score (Spanish version) as a screening test for hypoxemia. A secondary objective was to evaluate the agreement and consistency between the oxygen saturation obtained via pulse oximetry (SpO2) and arterial blood gas test (SaO2). ⋯ The Roth score performed in Spanish is not a valid test for hypoxemia screening. There is sufficient agreement and consistency between SaO2 and SpO2 measurements.
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The current war in Ukraine and the subsequent deployment of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) from around the world has highlighted the many potential dangers faced by humanitarian aid workers operating in conflict zones. Humanitarian aid workers may face both direct and indirect threats and aggression while on deployment, and given the rising number of global conflicts, the authors postulate a need to incorporate threat awareness training as part of pre-deployment training. ⋯ With the rising number of conflicts and disasters around the world, humanitarian aid workers are increasingly exposed to hostile environments and there is a compelling need for NGOs to ensure staff are adequately trained and prepared to handle any dangers and threats they may face. In this study, all 6 of the studied NGOs which deployed staff to the conflict zone confirmed some type of security or threat awareness training ranging from in-house security briefs to extensive, multi-day, commercially run courses such as Hostile Environment Awareness Training course.
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Community cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) education is important for laypersons. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, with social distancing, conventional face-to-face CPR training was unavailable. We developed a distance learning CPR training course (HEROS-Remote) using a smartphone application that monitors real-time chest compression quality and a home delivery collection system for mannikins. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the HEROS-Remote course by comparing chest compression quality with that of conventional CPR training. ⋯ HEROS-Remote training was non-inferior to conventional CPR training in terms of chest compression quality. Distance learning CPR training using a smartphone application and mannikin delivery had high user satisfaction and was logistically feasible.
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In parallel with the opioid epidemic, there has been a resurgence in abuse, medical complications, and deaths related to amphetamines. The opioid epidemic began with increasing rates of prescription products that evolved overtime to include heroin and more recently, fentanyl analogues. Current trends in amphetamine prescriptions are less well described. We sought to determine if there has been a change in amphetamine prescriptions given at discharge in U.S. emergency departments (EDs) in recent years. ⋯ There have been increases in discharge prescriptions for amphetamines in the ED over time. This was largely driven by prescriptions for amphetamine salts. Future research initiatives should continue to monitor this trend and in prescriptions and associated abuse in the setting of rising amphetamine abuse.