The American journal of emergency medicine
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Fibrinogen plays an important role in hemostasis and thrombosis and is proven to have prognostic significance in patients with cardiovascular disease. We examined the utility of fibrinogen as a prognostic indicator for patients with type A acute aortic dissection (AAD). ⋯ Low fibrinogen level on admission is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with type A AAD.
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Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) emerged in the 1980s as an important innovation in pre-hospital emergency cardiac care (ECC). In the years since, the American Heart Association (AHA) and the International Liaison Committee for Resuscitation (ILCOR) have promoted AED technology for use in hospitals as well, resulting in the widespread purchase and use of AED-capable defibrillators. ⋯ This article will discuss the issue of AEDs in the hospital using a conceptual framework provided by recent work on medical reversal. It will go on to consider the implications of the reversal for in-hospital resuscitation programs and emergency medicine more generally.
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Acute asthma exacerbations (AAE) account for many Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) visits. Chest radiography (CXR) is often performed in these patients to identify practice-changing findings such as pneumonia (PNA). Limited knowledge exists to balance the cost and radiation dose of CXR with expected yield of clinically meaningful information. ⋯ CXR infrequently adds valuable information in children with AAE. Patients treated with antibiotic within 7days are more likely to have PNA identified on CXR and receive antibiotics. A larger study is needed to examine potential significance of hypoxia and crackles.
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Comparative Study
Monitoring the corrected QT in the acute care setting: A comparison of the 12‑lead electrocardiogram and bedside monitor.
Prolongation of the QT interval is a well-recognized complication associated with many commonly used medications. Emergency Department monitoring of the corrected QT (QTc) both before and after medication administration is typically performed using the 12‑lead electrocardiogram (ECG). The purpose of this study is to compare the QTc reported on the 12‑lead ECG to that reported by single brand of bedside monitor. ⋯ We found that there was moderate correlation between the QTc reported on the 12 lead ECG and that reported by the bedside monitor. This correlation is not strong enough to support the use of the bedside monitor as a substitute for the 12‑lead ECG when evaluating a patient's QTc.