Resuscitation
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Timely post-resuscitation coronary reperfusion therapy is recommended; however, the timing of immediate coronary reperfusion for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has not been established. We studied the effect of the time interval from arrest to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on resuscitated OHCA patients. ⋯ Among resuscitated OHCA patients with a presumed cardiac etiology and successful PCI, patients who received a delayed coronary intervention after 150min from arrest were less likely to have neurologically intact survival compared to those who received an early intervention.
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Wide variation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survival has been reported, with low survival in urban settings. We sought to describe the epidemiology of OHCA in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the fifth largest U.S. city, and identify potential areas for targeted interventions to improve survival. ⋯ Philadelphia's reported incidence is consistent with urban settings although the survival rate is higher than other urban centers.
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Observational Study
Barriers to Patient Positioning for Telephone Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.
9-1-1 callers often face barriers preventing them from starting Telephone CPR (TCPR). The most common problem is getting patients to a hard, flat surface. This study describes barriers callers report when trying to move patients to a hard, flat surface and assesses conditions associated with overcoming these barriers. ⋯ Inability to move patients to a hard, flat surface is associated with a reduced rate of TCPR and increased time to first compression. Assessing the conditions under which such barriers are overcome is important for telecommunicator training and can help improve rates and timeliness of TCPR.
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Pulmonary Embolism (PE) is a relatively common cardiovascular condition, occasionally and tragically manifesting as Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). The natural history of SCA complicating PE has been poorly evaluated.In this study, we described the management and outcome of PE-related SCA. ⋯ PE is responsible of approximately 3% of hospitalizations for SCA. Thrombolysis was associated with an increased survival in this population, reinforcing current guidelines advocating for such treatment in PE-related SCA.
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The introduction of a paediatric Medical Emergency Team (pMET) was accompanied by weekly in-situ simulation team training. Key ward staff participated in team training, focusing on recognition of the deteriorating child, teamwork and early involvement of senior staff. Following an earlier study [1], this investigation aimed to evaluate the long-term impact of ongoing regular team training on hospital response to deteriorating ward patients, patient outcome and financial implications. ⋯ These results indicate that lessons learnt by ward staff during team training led to sustained improvements in the hospital response to critically deteriorating in-patients, significantly improved patient outcomes and substantial savings. Integration of regular in-situ simulation training of medical emergency teams, including key ward staff, in routine clinical care has potential application in all acute specialties.