Resuscitation
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Recognition of cardiac arrest and prompt activation time by emergency medical dispatch are key process measures that have been associated with improved survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The aim of this study is to improve recognition of OHCA and time to initiation of telephone assisted chest compressions in an emergency medical communication centre (EMCC). ⋯ Targeted simulation, education and feedback significantly improved recognition of OHCA and reduced time to first chest compression. Continuous measurement of key quality metrics can facilitate development of targeted education and training.
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Observational Study
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and stent thrombosis: Ticagrelor versus clopidogrel in patients with primary percutaneous coronary intervention under mild therapeutic hypothermia.
Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) and mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH) have been linked to increased risk of Stent Thrombosis (ST) in comatose survivors who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In this sense, there is no formal recommendation about which antiplatelet regimen should be used in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) after OHCA. ⋯ In this study, as compared to clopidogrel, ticagrelor was associated with a lower rate of ST, without differences in haemorrhagic events in patients with OHCA for an ACS under MTH. Similarly to other settings, ticagrelor might be a valid alternative to clopidogrel in these patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Prognostic significance of clinical seizures after cardiac arrest and target temperature management.
Clinical seizures are common after cardiac arrest and predictive of a poor neurological outcome. Seizures may be myoclonic, tonic-clonic or a combination of seizure types. This study reports the incidence and prognostic significance of clinical seizures in the target temperature management (TTM) after cardiac arrest trial. Our hypotheses were that seizures are associated with a poor prognosis and that the incidence of seizures is not affected by the target temperature. ⋯ Clinical seizures are common after cardiac arrest and indicate poor outcome with limited specificity. Prolonged seizures are a very grave sign but occasional patients may have a good outcome. The level of the target temperature does not affect the prevalence or prognostic significance of seizures.
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Improving survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a priority for modern emergency medical services (EMS) and prehospital research. Advanced life support (ALS) is now the standard of care in most EMS. In some EMS, prehospital critical care providers are also dispatched to attend OHCA. This systematic review presents the evidence for prehospital critical care for OHCA, when compared to standard ALS care. ⋯ Current evidence to support prehospital critical care for OHCA is limited by the logistic difficulties of undertaking high quality research in this area. Further research needs an appropriate sample size with adjustments for confounding factors in observational research design.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A pilot, prospective, randomized trial of video versus direct laryngoscopy for paramedic endotracheal intubation.
Prehospital intubation poses several unique challenges. Video assisted laryngoscopy has been shown to help increase intubation success in the hospital setting; however, little prospective data have examined video assisted laryngoscopy in traditional ground ambulance agencies. ⋯ In our study utilizing two ground EMS agencies, video assisted laryngoscopy with the KVL had similar first attempt success rates to direct laryngoscopy.