Journal of the American Heart Association
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Background Despite a lack of clinical evidence, hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin are being administered widely to patients with verified or suspected coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Both drugs may increase risk of lethal arrhythmias associated with QT interval prolongation. Methods and Results We analyzed a case series of COVID-19-positive/suspected patients admitted between February 1, 2020, and April 4, 2020, who were treated with azithromycin, hydroxychloroquine, or a combination of both drugs. ⋯ No patients manifested torsades de pointes. Conclusions Overall, 12% of patients manifested critical QTc prolongation, and the combination caused greater prolongation than either drug alone. The balance between uncertain benefit and potential risk when treating COVID-19 patients should be carefully assessed.
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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has infected more than 3.0 million people worldwide and killed more than 200,000 as of April 27, 2020. In this White Paper, we address the cardiovascular co-morbidities of COVID-19 infection; the diagnosis and treatment of standard cardiovascular conditions during the pandemic; and the diagnosis and treatment of the cardiovascular consequences of COVID-19 infection. In addition, we will also address various issues related to the safety of healthcare workers and the ethical issues related to patient care in this pandemic.
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Meta Analysis
Early Administration of Adrenaline for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Background The use of adrenaline in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients is still controversial. This study aimed to determine the effects of early pre-hospital adrenaline administration in OHCA patients. Methods and Results PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library database were searched from study inception to February 2019 to identify studies that reported OHCA patients who received adrenaline. ⋯ Patients with shockable rhythm cardiac arrest had a significantly higher rate of survival to discharge (RR, 5.86; 95% CI, 4.25-8.07; P<0.001) and more favorable neurological outcomes (RR, 5.10; 95% CI, 2.90-8.97; P<0.001) than non-shockable rhythm cardiac arrest patients. Conclusions Early pre-hospital administration of adrenaline to OHCA patients might increase the survival to discharge, return of spontaneous circulation, and favorable neurological outcomes. Registration URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO; Unique identifier: CRD42019130542.
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Comparative Study
Impact of Transport Time and Cardiac Arrest Centers on the Neurological Outcome After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
Background Should all out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients be directly transported to cardiac arrest centers (CACs) remains under debate. Our study evaluated the impacts of different transport time and destination hospital on the outcomes of OHCA patients. Methods and Results Data were collected from 6655 OHCA patients recorded in the regional prospective OHCA registry database of Taoyuan City, Taiwan, between January 2012 and December 2016. ⋯ Regardless of transport time, transportation to a CAC increased the likelihoods of survival to discharge (<8 minutes: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.95; 95% CI, 1.11-3.41; ≥8 minutes: aOR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.25-2.94) and good neurological outcome at discharge (<8 minutes: aOR, 2.70; 95% CI, 1.40-5.22; ≥8 minutes: aOR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.29-3.75) in OHCA patients with shockable rhythms but not in patients with nonshockable rhythms. Conclusions OHCA patients with shockable rhythms transported to CACs demonstrated higher probabilities of survival to discharge and a good neurological outcome at discharge. Direct ambulance delivery to CACs should thus be considered, particularly when OHCA patients present with shockable rhythms.