Tidsskrift for den Norske lægeforening : tidsskrift for praktisk medicin, ny række
-
Tidsskr. Nor. Laegeforen. · Feb 1992
Comparative Study[Emergency helicopters and transport of patients with acute myocardial infarction].
In order to assess the effectiveness of an emergency helicopter in a rural area of Norway we compared all patients with acute myocardial infarction who were transported by helicopter (N = 29) in 1989 with a group of patients transported by ground ambulance (N = 58). There was no difference in terms of distance to hospital or short-term course of the disease (complications or death by seven days after onset of infarction). It seems that the general practitioners had very different practices when choosing between ground and air transport for patients with acute myocardial infarction.
-
Mortality from severe multitrauma is 25-30%. Haemorrhage is the cause of one third of the deaths, either directly or indirectly as the cause of organ failure. Many trauma victims will not present alarming symptoms shortly after the accident. ⋯ Due to risk of overlooking injuries, patients should not be sorted by surgical specialty in the field. Obstructed airways are more acutely life-threatening than inadequate respiration, which is more serious than decreased circulation, which is again more dangerous than impaired consciousness. In general, thoracic injuries take priority over abdominal, cerebral and orthopaedic injuries, in that order.