Ann Acad Med Singap
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Ann Acad Med Singap · Sep 2021
Improved door-to-balloon time for primary percutaneous coronary intervention for patients conveyed via emergency ambulance service.
Early reperfusion of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) results in better outcomes. Interventions that have resulted in shorter door-to-balloon (DTB) time include prehospital cardiovascular laboratory activation and prehospital electrocardiogram (ECG) transmission, which are only available for patients who arrive via emergency ambulances. We assessed the impact of mode of transport on DTB time in a single tertiary institution and evaluated the factors that affected various components of DTB time. ⋯ Arrival via emergency ambulance was associated with a decreased DTB for STEMI patients compared to arriving via own transport. There is a need for public education to increase the usage of emergency ambulances for suspected heart attacks to improve outcomes.
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Ann Acad Med Singap · Sep 2021
Safety and side effect profile of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination among healthcare workers: A tertiary hospital experience in Singapore.
Vaccination remains a key strategy to living endemically with COVID-19. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was first granted interim authorisation for use in Singapore in December 2020. With overseas studies published about the safety and side effect profiles of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines focusing mainly on non-Asian populations, we described the side effects of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination experienced by the healthcare workers (HCWs) in a tertiary hospital in Singapore. ⋯ The side effects experienced after Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are generally self-limiting and mild, with no anaphylaxis reported.
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Ann Acad Med Singap · Sep 2021
Association between lung compliance phenotypes and mortality in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in COVID-19 is associated with a high mortality rate, though outcomes of the different lung compliance phenotypes are unclear. We aimed to measure lung compliance and examine other factors associated with mortality in COVID-19 patients with ARDS. ⋯ COVID-19 ARDS patients with higher compliance on the day of intubation and a longitudinal decrease over time had a higher risk of death.
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While armed assailant attacks are rare in the hospital setting, they pose a potential risk to healthcare staff, patients, visitors and the infrastructure. Singapore hospitals have well-developed disaster plans to respond to a mass casualty incident occurring outside the hospital. However, lack of an armed assailant incident response plan can significantly reduce the hospital's ability to appropriately respond to such an incident. ⋯ Regular staff training will increase staff resilience and capability to respond to a potential threat in the future. The aim of this article is to highlight the need for the emergency preparedness units of all hospitals to work together with various stakeholders to develop an armed assailant incident response plan. This will be of great benefit for keeping healthcare facilities safe, both for staff as well as for the community.