Resuscitation
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It is feared by many doctors that teaching basic life support (BLS) to high risk cardiac patients or a member of the family increases their anxiety. We trained a group of patients with recurrent ventricular tachycardia in BLS together with a friend or family member. Measurement of anxiety before and three months after training demonstrated a reduction in anxiety in both groups. This suggests that basic life support training can be targeted to high risk groups without fear of increasing anxiety.
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General practitioners (GP) can identify potential cardiac arrest victims. They have the opportunity to inform cardiac patients and their families about the risk of sudden cardiac death and can motivate family members to attend a CPR-course. To study actual counselling practices concerning basic CPR-training a questionnaire was mailed to a representative sample of Belgian GPs (n = 1119). ⋯ A discrepancy was observed between the positive attitude towards CPR and the counselling of family members to attend a CPR-course (9%). GPs feared to inflict additional stress to the patient (32%) or the family (43%) or did not know where CPR courses were organised (37%). GPs are a primary target group for CPR-training and should learn how to counsel potential bystanders of a cardiac arrest to attend a CPR-course without inflicting additional anxiety on the patient or his family.
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Multilevel evoked potentials were examined in 17 patients who became comatose after cardiac arrest and resuscitation. In 4 patients, the P1 through N3 components of the somatosensory evoked cerebral potential (SECP) were present altogether within 100 ms after the ischemic insults. ⋯ The somatosensory evoked spinal potential and spinal monosynaptic reflex showed normal appearances in the state of vegetation and even after the determination of brain death. The measures of SECP could be useful in predicting restoration of consciousness.
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Authors have salvaged two cases suffering from respiratory and cardiac arrest with active effective cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation (CPCR). One was a 53-year-old woman with myasthenia gravis whose tracheostomy tube was dislodged on the way to being transferred to the ICU. Another case, a 56-year-old farmer, the victim of an anesthesia accident which occurred in the cystoscopic examination room where equipment for CPR was unavailable. ⋯ It is very important for the success of CPR to understand and practice the technique of CPR in the order: A (airway), B (breathing) and C (circulation). Early intubation and defibrillation is effective measurements for successful CPR. Training programs of CPR must be held not only for medical personnel but also for citizens in the developing counties.
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To audit the use of extended skills by South Glamorgan Ambulance crew in attempted resuscitations from out-of-hospital cardio-respiratory arrest, in terms of successful discharge of patients from hospital and the accuracy with which agreed protocols were applied. Design-Retrospective analysis of ambulance report forms, electrocardiograph rhythm strips, casualty cards and discharge summaries during 26 months (1st May 1987-30th June 1989). ⋯ Extended trained crews use their skills effectively. The most important skill is defibrillation. Further studies are required to explain the high proportion of patients found in asystole. The performance of individual ambulance personnel should be assessed prospectively, because agreed resuscitation protocols are not always followed.