Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2018
Observational StudyExploring the feasibility of targeted chronic hepatitis B screening in the emergency department: A pilot study.
To explore the feasibility of an ED chronic hepatitis B (CHB) screening programme. ⋯ Targeted ED CHB screening is feasible but effectiveness and cost-effectiveness need further exploration.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2018
Epidemiology of trauma patients attended by ambulance paramedics in Perth, Western Australia.
The aim of the study was to describe the epidemiology of trauma in adult patients attended by ambulance paramedics in Perth, Western Australia. ⋯ The trauma incidence rate increased over time and the majority of patients had low-acuity injuries. Focusing research, training and resources solely on high-acuity patients will not cater for the needs of the majority of patients.
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Emerg Med Australas · Oct 2018
ReviewAmiodarone for sustained stable ventricular tachycardia in the prehospital setting.
Amiodarone is commonly used in the treatment of stable ventricular tachycardia (VT), but its efficacy has not been empirically examined in the prehospital setting. The objective of this study was to examine the safety and efficacy of amiodarone administered by paramedics to patients with stable VT. ⋯ Approximately half of the patients treated with amiodarone reverted from VT while under paramedic care. Patient deterioration was rare, with cardiac arrest or requirement for cardioversion occurring very infrequently. Amiodarone was relatively safe and moderately effective for the treatment of sustained stable VT. However, given recent evidence of increased efficacy of procainamide for stable VT, further studies are required in the prehospital setting to compare these two drugs.