Articles: cardiac-arrest.
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Cardiopulmonary arrest in pregnancy is rare occurring in 1 in 30,000 pregnancies. When it does occur, it is important for a clinician to be familiar with the features peculiar to the pregnant state. Knowledge of the anatomic and physiologic changes of pregnancy is helpful in the treatment and diagnosis. ⋯ The specialties of obstetrics and neonatology should be involved early in the process to ensure appropriate treatment of both mother and the newborn. This article will explore the changes that occur in pregnancy and their impact on treatment. The common causes of maternal cardiac arrest will be discussed briefly.
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Scand J Trauma Resus · Sep 2008
Prognostication after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, a clinical survey.
Numerous parameters and tests have been proposed for outcome prediction in comatose out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivors. We conducted a survey of clinical practice of prognostication after therapeutic hypothermia (TH) became common practice in Norway. ⋯ Despite the routine use of TH, outcome prediction was performed early and was mainly based on prehospital information, neurological examination and CCT and EEG evaluation. Somatosensory evoked potentials appear to be underused and underrated, while the importance of prehospital data, CCT and EEG to appear to be overrated as methods for making accurate predictions.More evidence-based protocols for prognostication in cardiac arrest survivors, as well as additional studies on the effect of TH on known prognostic parameters are needed.
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Environ. Health Perspect. · May 2008
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and airborne fine particulate matter: a case-crossover analysis of emergency medical services data in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Previous studies have found particulate matter (PM) < 2.5 microm in aerodynamic diameter (PM2.5) associated with heart disease mortality. Although rapid effects of PM2.5 exposure on the cardiovascular system have been proposed, few studies have investigated the effect of short-term exposures on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). ⋯ The results suggest an acute effect of short-term PM2.5 exposure in precipitating OHCAs, and a need to investigate further the role of subject factors in the effects of PM on the risk of OHCA.
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Intensive care medicine was for many years practiced within the four walls of an intensive care unit (ICU). Evidence then emerged that many serious adverse events in hospitals were preceded by many hours of slow deterioration, resulting in multi-organ failure and potentially preventable admissions to the ICU. ⋯ Since then, other forms of rapid response and outreach systems have been developed. Increasingly, physicians working in ICUs can see the benefit of the early management of serious illness in order to improve patient outcome.