Current opinion in critical care
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Jun 2015
'Kids save lives': why schoolchildren should train in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Quick initiation of basic life support (BLS) by laypersons is one of the most successful strategies in the fight against sudden cardiac death. In developed countries, cardiac arrest is still a major contributor to avoidable death, and despite the fact that more than 50% of all cardiac arrests are witnessed, layperson BLS is performed in less than 20%. To improve this situation, BLS training in schools has been established. ⋯ Resuscitation training in schools can help to increase the amount of BLS-trained population. Social skills of pupils can be improved and training can be successfully implemented independently of the pupils' age and physique.
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Most of our blood volume is contained in the venous compartment. The so-called 'compliant veins' are an adjustable blood reservoir, which is playing a paramount role in maintaining haemodynamic stability. The purpose of this study is to review what is known about this blood reservoir and how we can use this information to assess the cardiovascular state of critically ill patients. ⋯ The Pmsf along with other haemodynamic variables can provide valuable information to correctly understand the cardiovascular status of critically ill patients and better manage the fluid therapy and cardiovascular support. Future studies using the Pmsf will show its usefulness for fluid administration.
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Curr Opin Crit Care · Jun 2015
ReviewHaemodynamic and ventilator management in patients following cardiac arrest.
The purpose of this study is to review the recent literature describing how to assess and treat postcardiac arrest syndrome associated haemodynamics and manage oxygenation and ventilation derangements. ⋯ Patients who are successfully resuscitated from cardiac arrest often have hypotension and myocardial dysfunction. Careful attention to haemodynamic and ventilator management targeting normal blood pressure, normoxemia and normocapnia may help to avoid secondary organ injury and potentially improve outcomes.