The American journal of emergency medicine
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Excessive ventilatory volumes and rates during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can lead to adverse effects, such as elevated intrathoracic pressure and decreased coronary blood flow. The 2020 American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines acknowledge the value of real-time feedback devices in improving CPR performance. In this case series, three out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases received ventilation feedback during prehospital resuscitation and the initial in-hospital care phase. ⋯ Existing evidence supports the importance of maintaining specific ventilation rates and tidal volumes during cardiac arrest to improve outcomes. We believe further research is essential to establish a definitive link between ventilation strategies and patient outcomes, ultimately enhancing resuscitation efforts and patient survival rates. Integrating real-time ventilation feedback devices both in and out of the hospital during cardiac arrest presents an opportunity for quality improvement and adherence to national standards.
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Case Reports
ECG lead misplacement in the frontal and horizontal plane mimicking A myocardial infarction: A case report.
Electrocardiogram (ECG) is an inexpensive, fundamental screening tool used in daily clinical practice. It is essential in the diagnosis of life-threatening conditions, such as acute myocardial infarctions, ventricular arrhythmias etc. However, ECG lead misplacement is a common technical error, which may translate into wrong interpretations, unnecessary investigations, and improper treatments. ⋯ Our case demonstrated the importance of high clinical suspicion in diagnosing ECG lead misplacement. It is the responsibility of both the healthcare workers who are performing and interpreting the ECG to be alert of a possible lead malposition, to prevent untoward consequences to the patient.