Resuscitation
-
After successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation, acute ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) may be documented. We investigated the incidence and prognosis of patients admitted to our department between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2004. Among 2393 consecutive patients with STEMI, 135 (5.7%) presented after a return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). ⋯ Hospital survival among comatose patients was 51% and hospital survival with cerebral performance category (CPC) 1 or 2 was 29%. Accordingly, outcome of patients with STEMI who regain consciousness after ROSC and undergo primary PCI is comparable to patients without cardiac arrest. This is in contrast with comatose survivors who, despite aggressive reperfusion treatment, had a significantly worse outcome.
-
The 1-day immediate life support course (ILS) was started in the United Kingdom and adopted by the ERC to train healthcare professionals who attend cardiac arrests only occasionally. Currently, there are no reports about the ILS course from outside the UK. In this paper we describe our initial Italian experience of teaching ILS to nurses. We have also measured the impact that ILS has on the resuscitation knowledge of nurses. ⋯ We have reproduced the ILS course in Italy successfully. ILS teaching resulted in an improvement in resuscitation knowledge of the first group of nurses trained.
-
Review Meta Analysis
Room air resuscitation of the depressed newborn: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Understanding of the potential dangers of hyperoxia in the newborn is growing. Several studies have examined the use of room air for the resuscitation of newborns. ⋯ This meta-analysis supports the hypothesis that room air is superior to 100% oxygen as the initial choice for resuscitating clinically depressed newborns as it may result in a lower mortality rate. However, adequately powered studies of long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes are not yet available.
-
Multicenter Study
Advanced cardiac life support training improves long-term survival from in-hospital cardiac arrest.
Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) training was introduced to bring order and a systematic approach to the treatment of cardiac arrest by professional responders. In spite of the wide dissemination of ACLS training, it has been difficult to demonstrate improved outcome following such training. ⋯ The presence of at least one ACLS-trained team member at in-hospital resuscitation efforts increases both short and long-term survival following cardiac arrest.
-
The unintentional print-out by two different software programmes of the same resuscitation-related events stored on a data card of a Laerdal FR2-automated external defibrillator (AED), led to the discovery of flaws in the registration of the time line by one of the commercially available Laerdal software programmes. This observation stresses the need for a continuation of the medical supervision of AED projects, the close co-operation between clinicians and AED manufacturers, the well-controlled introduction of new devices and strict postmarket surveillance programmes.