Resuscitation
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Automated external versus blind manual defibrillation by untrained lay rescuers.
sudden cardiac death is an important cause of mortality in the United States today. A major determinant of survival from sudden cardiac death is rapid defibrillation. Communities with high rates of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and early defibrillation enjoy the highest survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. First responders and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) have been trained to use external defibrillators (AEDs). The period of instruction for successful use of the AED remains to be determined. It was the purpose of this study to compare AED versus blind manual defibrillation (BMD) by untrained lay rescuers using a simple instruction sheet and following a 20-min training period. ⋯ untrained lay rescuers demonstrated a very high success rate using the AED during simulated cardiac arrest. Success with BMD by untrained rescuers is poor. This study suggests that prehospital personnel can be successfully trained in the use of AED in a substantially shorter period of time than in current practice. Strategic placement of AEDs like fire hoses and pool-side life preservers could result in improved survival from sudden cardiac death.
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Accumulating experience with the use of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in critically ill patients with acute renal failure suggests that these treatment modalities have distinct advantages relative to conventional dialysis in terms of solute clearances, fluid removal and hemodynamics, which may translate in improved renal and patient outcome. Recent data point to a possible beneficial effect of CRRT on the clinical course, independent from an impact on fluid balance, in critically ill patients with shock which is attributed to the continuous elimination of inflammatory mediators from the circulation. This has raised the question as to whether CRRT might be used for 'non-renal' indications such as the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). ⋯ However, no significant survival advantage has yet been shown for critically ill patients with SIRS/MODS when treated with CRRT as an adjunct to conventional therapy. Only prospective controlled studies of appropriate sample size, which requires a multicenter approach, might answer the question whether use of CRRT may alter the clinical course and outcome in critically ill patients with SIRS and MODS. Until such studies are performed, the rationale for the use of CRRT in the absence of conventional indications for dialytic support remains unproven.
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Comparative Study
Intubation with laryngoscope versus transillumination performed by paramedic students on manikins and cadavers.
Seventeen paramedic students, all of whom are novice intubators, performed laryngoscopic and Trachlight intubation after supervised training for 90 min on two manikins (Laerdal, AMBU) and 30 min on cadavers. A maximum of two intubation attempts lasting a maximum 30 s each were permitted on each manikin and the cadaver. The time for confirming tube placement by auscultation and securing the tube was added. ⋯ Intubation with the Trachlight was 100% successful in the Laerdal manikin, but significantly lower than with the laryngoscope in the AMBU manikin (65%), and in cadavers (50%). The mean intubation time was significantly longer (30-44 s) with the Trachlight compared with laryngoscopic intubation (10-23 s) in both manikins and cadavers. The present results do not indicate that intubation with the Trachlight is an improvement upon laryngoscopic intubation for novices.
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This study determined the acute effects of intravenous levothyroxine sodium (LT4) on systemic oxygen delivery and consumption for 6 h following resuscitation from 9 min of normothermic cardiac arrest in dogs. Male mongrel dogs (15-25 kg) were randomly assigned to two groups of seven. The treated group received a pre-cardiac arrest infusion of 15 micrograms/kg per h of LT4 for 1.5 h prior to arrest and for 6 h after, while controls received a comparable volume of 0.9 N saline infusion. ⋯ Treated dogs had significantly elevated levels of T4, FT4, T3, FT3 and rT3 (P < 0.01), compared with control dogs. No changes in cTSH were detected between groups or over time. Acute administration of LT4 enhances systemic oxygen delivery and apparently, therefore, oxygen consumption following resuscitation.
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A large proportion of cardiac arrests outside hospital are caused by ventricular fibrillation. Although it is frequently used, the exact role for treatment with lidocaine in these patients remains to be determined. ⋯ In a retrospective analysis comparing patients who received lidocaine with those who did not in sustained ventricular fibrillation and after conversion to a pulse-generating rhythm, such treatment was associated with a higher rate at ROSC and hospitalization but was not associated with an increased rate of discharge from hospital.