Resuscitation
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It is unclear whether either chest compressions or defibrillation is an aerosol generating event and whether there is significant transmission risk for resuscitators.
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Ventricular fibrillation (VF) waveform analyses are considered a reliable proxy for OHCA characteristics in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), but patient characteristics such as cardiovascular medication use might also be associated with changes in VF waveform measures. ⋯ It is unlikely that there is a strong and clinically relevant independent pharmacologic effect of cardiovascular medication use on AMSA. In OHCA, AMSA might be used as patient management tool without considering cardiovascular medication use.
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To establish incidence, phenotype, long-term functional outcome, and early EEG predictors of delirium after cardiac arrest. ⋯ Delirium is common after cardiac arrest, and probably leads to longer hospitalization and poorer outcome. Optimal treatment is unclear. Early EEG holds potential to identify patients at risk.
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Defibrillation by public Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) before EMS arrival is associated with high survival rates. Previous recommendSations suggest that an AED should be placed within a 1-1.5 min "brisk walk" from a cardiac arrest. Current guidelines hold no recommendation. The real-time it takes for a volunteer to retrieve an AED in a public setting has not been studied. ⋯ The median travelling speed of all lay responders dispatched to suspected OHCAs was 2.3 m/s. In densely populated areas the travelling speed was 1.8 m/s. This can be used as support in guidelines for planning placement of AEDs, in simulation studies, as well as in configuration of mobile-based dispatch systems.
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Editorial Comment
Retrieving AEDs to save a life: more complicated than it seems.