The American journal of emergency medicine
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Despite the usefulness of the Cincinnati Prehospital Stroke Scale (CPSS) for rapid recognition of acute stroke, its ability to assess stroke severity is unclear. We investigated the usefulness of CPSS for assessment of stroke severity by comparing CPSS and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores in patients who were candidates for thrombolytic therapy at hospital admission within 6 hours of symptom onset. ⋯ The CPSS is an effective prehospital stroke scale for the determination of stroke severity and identification of candidates for thrombolytic therapy.
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Many advances have been made recently in the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF). We hypothesize that this should have resulted in fewer CHF patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) and fewer being intubated. ⋯ The rates of annual ED visits for CHF and intubation rates declined from 1996 to 2008. These decreases are most likely due to better CHF treatments.
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Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning frequently affects repolarization, resulting in abnormal electrocardiography findings. The goal of this study was to examine the effect of CO poisoning on the novel transmyocardial repolarization parameters T peak-T end (Tp-e), Tp-e dispersion, and Tp-e/QT and the relationship of these parameters to myocardial injury (MI). ⋯ Transmyocardial repolarization parameters indicative of arrhythmia were prolonged in patients with CO poisoning. T peak-T end was associated with MI.
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A 53-year-old woman was hospitalized after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation. Initial electrocardioagram showed sinus rhythm of 117 beats per minute, 452 ms QTc interval, ST-segment depression up to 1 mm in V(2)-V(6), and ST-elevation in lead aVR. ⋯ Laboratory test results showed hypocalcaemia. After rewarming and ion correction QT abnormalities resolved.
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Behçet's disease is a multisystemic, potentially life-threatening condition with vascular involvement and thrombotic tendency. The disease course is characterized by exacerbations and remissions. Lower extremity vein thrombosis is the most frequent manifestation of vascular involvement, followed by vena cava thrombosis, pulmonary artery aneurysms, peripheral artery aneurysms, dural sinus thrombosis and abdominal aorta aneurysms. The case in this report was considered worth reporting due to vena cava thrombosis extending from brachiocephalic to jugular vein, accompanying thrombosis of the contralateral brachiocephalic vein and jugular veins as well as simultaneous dural sinus thrombosis, and also benefit from thrombolytic therapy.