Resuscitation
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To determine whether the quality of expired air given during mouth-to-mouth ventilation differs between one- and two-person basic life support. ⋯ Trainees in basic life support should be informed that symptoms of hypocarbia may occur in prolonged mouth-to-mouth ventilation, when acting in a two-man team. We would advise rescuers using these protocols to change places every 5 min to avoid these symptoms. These findings add further weight to the recommendations that all resuscitation should be carried out using 15:2 compression:ventilation ratio.
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In our exsanguination cardiac arrest (CA) outcome model in dogs we are systematically exploring suspended animation (SA), i.e. preservation of brain and heart immediately after the onset of CA to enable transport and resuscitative surgery during CA, followed by delayed resuscitation. We have shown in dogs that inducing moderate cerebral hypothermia with an aortic arch flush of 500 ml normal saline solution at 4 degrees C, at start of CA 20 min no-flow, leads to normal functional outcome. We hypothesized that, using the same model, but with the saline flush at 24 degrees C inducing minimal cerebral hypothermia (which would be more readily available in the field), adding either fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP, a more efficient energy substrate) or MK-801 (an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blocker) would also achieve normal functional outcome. ⋯ There was no difference in regional HDS between groups. We conclude that neither FBP nor MK-801 by aortic arch flush at the start of CA, plus an additional i.v. infusion of the same drug during reperfusion, can provide cerebral preservation during CA 20 min no-flow. Other drugs and drug-combinations should be tested with this model in search for a breakthrough effect.
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To identify patients who should not have resuscitation started or continued. ⋯ CPR survival is problematic, and it is especially poor in field/BR arrests. Emergency squads should terminate CPR for pulseless patients after communicating with the ER physician. Age is not a determinant of recovery or survival. Arrest outside of the hospital, sepsis, three or more co-morbid conditions, previous CPR, asystole or resuscitation for >25 min all decrease the chance of hospital discharge and survival. Instituting or continuing CPR in a great majority of these patients is futile. Families should be so advised.
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Low incidence of bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is allegedly responsible for poor survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in Japan. This study was conducted to determine significant predictors for survival after collapse-witnessed OHCA of presumed cardiac etiology to investigate the impact of bystander-initiated CPR. Logistic regression analysis of OHCA of presumed cardiac etiology was performed on retrospective data sets from three Japanese suburban communities. ⋯ Patient age (70 years or less/over 70 years), interval from collapse to EMS response, and bystander-initiated CPR were significantly associated with VF in an initial ECG. The effectiveness of bystander-initiated CPR for OHCA can be successfully predicted based on the interval from collapse to CPR and initial ECG rhythm. The increase in the proportion of bystander-initiated CPR from the present level of 20-50% would be expected to rescue another 1800 victims of OHCA per year in Japan.
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Demonstrate minimally invasive rapid body core and brain cooling in a large animal model. ⋯ GLV cooling times are comparable to those for cardiopulmonary bypass. Heat and CO(2) removal can be independently controlled by changing the mix of lavage and gas ventilation. Due to VDtherm of approximately 6 ml/kg in dogs, efficient V-lav is >18 ml/kg. GLV cooling power appears more limited by PFC flows than lavage residence times. Concurrent gas ventilation may mitigate heat-diffusion limitations in liquid breathing, perhaps via bubble-induced turbulence.