Resuscitation
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We aim to evaluate if point-of-care ultrasound use in cardiac arrest is associated with CPR pause duration. ⋯ In this prospective cohort trial of 24 patients with CA, POCUS during CPR pauses was associated with longer interruptions in CPR.
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To determine the number of potential deceased organ donors from out-of- hospital cardiac arrest cases (OHCA) attended by public physician-led emergency medical services in Spain, based on data recorded in the nationwide Spanish OHCA Registry (OHSCAR). ⋯ Many potential donors are missed in current clinical practice. uDCD programs are few and underused even in a country with high rates of organ transplantation.
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Asystole (ASY) and pulseless electrical activity (PEA) are increasing and ventricular fibrillation (VF) or ventricular tachycardia (VT) declining as presenting rhythms of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Since there is limited information on possible differences in the etiology of underlying structural heart disease, we analyzed the clinical and/or autopsy findings of victims with ASY, PEA or VT/VF. ⋯ Asystole and PEA are a more common presenting rhythm than VT/VF at the time of SCA in non-ischemic cardiac disease. The decreasing trend of ischemic heart disease as a cause of SCA may partly explain the increasing trend of ASY/PEA.
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The effect of the number and level of on-scene emergency medical technicians (EMTs) on the outcomes of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains unclear. We aimed to test the association between the number and level of EMTs and the outcomes of patients with OHCA. ⋯ An on-scene EMT-P ratio >50% was associated with improved survival to discharge of OHCA cases, especially in those with witnessed, non-shockable rhythm. The presence of four EMTs with an EMT-P ratio >50% at the scene of OHCA was associated with the best outcome.