Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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To identify characteristics associated with provision of bystander CPR in witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases. ⋯ Patients who have had witnessed cardiac arrests outside the home are nearly 4 times more likely to receive bystander CPR, and are twice as likely to survive. This observation emphasizes the need for CPR training of family members in the authors' locale. This phenomenon may also represent a significant confounder in studies of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and resuscitation.
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Case Reports
Bioimpedance cardiac output measurements in patients with presumed congestive heart failure.
To describe preliminary ED experience with thoracic electrical bioimpedance (TEB) for evaluation of patients with complaints suggestive of congestive heart failure (CHF). ⋯ Significant differences in TEB variables exist between patients who appear similar on initial examination in the ED. Changes noted on TEB may help to further elucidate physiologic differences. The clinical use of TEB-based hemodynamic measurements to guide presumed CHF patient management remains speculative.
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To determine the accuracy of a syringe esophageal detector device (EDD) for detecting esophageal intubations in an out-of-hospital setting. ⋯ In this paramedic field study, the EDD demonstrated poor sensitivity for esophageal intubations. Further EMS studies of the EDD are needed to clarify the value of the device in out-of-hospital emergent clinical intubations.
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To determine whether population density is an independent predictor of survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest managed by basic life support (BLS) services using automated external defibrillators (AEDs). ⋯ Population density is strongly associated with survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. BLS services within areas with population densities < or = 100/sq mi sustained little benefit from the addition of AEDs to their treatment of patients who had out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.