Resuscitation
-
In 1982 the Netherlands made a unilateral decision to change the established airway-breathing-circulation (ABC) training sequence to a different approach that stressed efficiency in diagnosis and treatment. This Dutch approach became known as the CAB (circulation-airway-breathing) sequence. Twenty years later, being confronted with the new international guidelines (published 2000) that still use the ABC approach, the Netherlands Resuscitation Council (NRR) questioned again the validity of our persistence in using the "Dutch variant" of resuscitation. ⋯ This article restates the main rationale and arguments behind the original decision to change to a Dutch (CAB) version of resuscitation over 20 years ago. The national decision to adopt the ABC approach once again was mainly to prevent resuscitation in the Netherlands from being isolated from the rest of the world and was not based on present knowledge of physiology and resuscitation. The authors hope that this article will open the discussion once again.
-
To determine the error of measurement in pulse oximetry with a decreased arterial perfusion and to identify a systolic pressure threshold for (1) initial detection and (2) a reliable reading of oxygen saturation. ⋯ Pulse oximetry is reliable with a systolic blood pressure > 80 mmHg. The lower the BP, the lower the pulse oximetry readings leading to a bias of up to -45%.
-
It has been calculated that, on average, 20% of the population should be trained to provide first aid, if a significant reduction of mortality is to be achieved. However, wide dissemination of the principles of emergency care poses a series of difficulties. As a partial solution, we have designed a first aid training course for children aged 8-11 years in their last three courses at primary school. ⋯ However, when comparing Group A and Group B in each class, the children that had also been exposed to the practical training (Group B) scored significantly better (V(B) versus V(A) p < 0.001; IV(B) versus IV(A) p < 0.001; III(B) versus III(A) p < 0.01). In conclusion, this proposed method of teaching emergency first aid could be successful in training primary school children. The permanent integration of the subject into the core curriculum of primary schools, and extended to higher school levels, could help in disseminating the culture of emergency care in the general population.
-
In a swine model of out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation (VF) cardiac arrest, we established that automated external defibrillator (AED) defibrillation could worsen outcome from prolonged VF compared with manual defibrillation. Worse outcomes were due to substantial interruptions and delays in chest compressions for AED rhythm analyses and shock advice. In particular, the mean interval from first AED shock to first post-shock compressions was 46+/-6s. We hypothesized that the delay from shock to provision of chest compressions is similar in the out-of-hospital setting. ⋯ Substantial delays in the provision of post-shock chest compressions are typical in this EMS system with AED-equipped first responders.
-
Quality assurance to optimize clinical resuscitation performance is important. The aims of the present study were to identify the deficiencies in the clinical practice of resuscitation by motion analysis of video-recorded cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and to evaluate the effectiveness of quality improvement strategies based on audio-prompt methods. ⋯ Audio-prompts can improve the adherence to current CPR guidelines in the clinical setting significantly. The quality improvement measures described in this study are helpful in translating CPR knowledge into clinical practice.