Resuscitation
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Less than 1% of the general public know how to assess or manage someone who has collapsed. It has been estimated that if 15-20% of the population were capable of performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), mortality of out of hospital cardiac arrest could be decreased significantly. Training basic life support (BLS) skills to school children would be the most cost effective way of achieving this goal and ensuring that a large proportion of the population acquire basic life saving skills. ⋯ A training programme designed and taught as part of the school curriculum would have a significant impact on public health.
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Case Reports
Amniotic fluid embolism after surgical trauma: two case reports and review of the literature.
Amniotic fluid embolism (AFE) is a relatively rare condition usually occurring during or shortly after pregnancy and is catastrophic in most cases. The classical description is a sudden onset of dyspnoea, cyanosis and hypotension out of proportion to the blood loss, followed quickly by cardiorespiratory arrest. ⋯ We report on two cases of severe and near fatal amniotic fluid embolism during pregnancy. Surgical trauma, caused by a blow in the stomach and a surgical intervention, was considered to be the aetiology.
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Small volume resuscitation with tempol is detrimental during uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock in rats.
In a previous study, titration of a hypertonic saline (HTS) solution during severe uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock (UHS) failed to reduce mortality. In a separate study, a novel antioxidant, polynitroxylated albumin (PNA) plus tempol (4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl), infused during shock increased long-term survival. We hypothesized that combining potent antioxidants with a hypertonic solution during UHS would preserve the logistical advantage of small volume resuscitation and improve survival. ⋯ Despite its benefits in other model systems, free tempol is potentially hazardous when combined with hypertonic fluids. PNA abrogates these deleterious effects on acute mortality but may lead to increased blood loss in the setting of UHS.
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Biography Historical Article
Resuscitation great: Benjamin Howard and the direct method of artificial respiration.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Characteristics of volunteers responding to emergencies in the Public Access Defibrillation Trial.
To evaluate the characteristics of volunteers responding to emergencies in the North American Public Access Defibrillation (PAD) Trial. ⋯ Volunteers with previous emergency training and positions of responsibility in their facility had a greater likelihood of participation in medical emergencies in the PAD Trial.