Resuscitation
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Comparison of instructor-led automated external defibrillation training and three alternative DVD-based training methods.
Self-directed BLS-training, using a personal training manikin with video has been shown to be as effective as instructor-led training. This has not previously been investigated for AED-training. ⋯ DVD-based AED-training without scenario is not recommended. Scenario training is a useful addition, but instructor-facilitated training remains the best method.
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Comparative Study
Survival and health care costs until hospital discharge of patients treated with onsite, dispatched or without automated external defibrillator.
This study aimed to determine whether automated external defibrillator (AED) use during resuscitation is associated with lower in-hospital health care costs. ⋯ Onsite AED use was associated with higher survival rates. Surviving patients of the onsite AED group had lower total costs, mainly due to the shorter ICU stay.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of the efficacy of nifekalant and amiodarone in a porcine model of cardiac arrest.
To compare the efficacy of nifekalant and amiodarone in the treatment of cardiac arrest in a porcine model. ⋯ The effect of nifekalant was similar to that of amiodarone for improving defibrillation efficacy and for the treatment of cardiac arrest. Administration of either nifekalant or amiodarone before defibrillation increased the ROSC and 24-h survival rates and improved post-resuscitation cardiac function in this porcine model.
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Comparative Study
Experiences of sudden cardiac arrest survivors regarding prognostication and advance care planning.
We sought to better understand SCA survivors' beliefs about complex issues that arise in the immediate post-arrest period and explore advance care planning. Specifically, we wished to explore four themes: (1) patient and family perception of medical providers' prognostication in the immediate post-arrest phase; (2) patient definitions of death; (3) use of advance directives (ADs); and (4) perceptions of health and organ donation. ⋯ Our study elucidated the attitudes and experiences of SCA survivors. Variability in prognostication timing and inconsistency in describing SCA can complicate discussions between the medical team and families. AD and organ donation discussions may help to provide sensitive care concordant with a patient's wishes.
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Comparative Study
ViEWS--Towards a national early warning score for detecting adult inpatient deterioration.
To develop a validated, paper-based, aggregate weighted track and trigger system (AWTTS) that could serve as a template for a national early warning score (EWS) for the detection of patient deterioration. ⋯ We have developed a simple AWTTS - ViEWS - designed for paper-based application and demonstrated that its performance for predicting mortality (within a range of timescales) is superior to all other published AWTTSs that we tested. We have also developed a tool to provide a relative measure of the number of "triggers" that would be generated at different values of EWS and permits the comparison of the workload generated by different AWTTSs.