Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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A short-cut review was carried out to establish whether intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABP) improve mortality in cardiogenic shock after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Two studies and one systematic review were directly relevant to the question. ⋯ The clinical bottom line is that the IABP does not improve mortality in cardiogenic shock after AMI when percutaneous coronary intervention is available. When only thrombolysis is possible then it may improve mortality.
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A short-cut review was carried out to establish whether leeches or steroids are more effective at reducing the size of a tongue haematoma. No studies were directly relevant to the question. Several reviews and case reports were found to suggest that leeches might be effective. The clinical bottom line is that leeches should be considered in the management of obstructive traumatic tongue swelling.
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Hypovolaemic shock that results through traumatically inflicted haemorrhage can have disastrous consequences for the victim. Initially the body can compensate for lost circulating volume, but as haemorrhage continues compensatory mechanisms fail and the patient's condition worsens significantly. Hypovolaemia results in the lethal triad, a combination of hypothermia, acidosis and coagulopathy, three factors that are interlinked and serve to worsen each other. ⋯ This method is easy to implement requiring simple protocols and contributes significantly to interrupting the lethal triad. However, the future of trauma care appears to lie with clinically induced therapeutic hypothermia. This new treatment provides optimism that in the future the number of deaths resulting from catastrophic haemorrhaging may be significantly lessened.
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A short-cut review was carried out to establish whether levosimendan improves outcome in cases of cardiogenic shock. Five studies were directly relevant to the question. ⋯ The author, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes, results and study weaknesses of these papers are shown in table 1. The clinical bottom line is that there is no evidence that levosimendan improves outcome in cardiogenic shock.
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Accurate patient diagnosis in the prehospital environment is essential to initiate suitable care pathways. The advanced paramedic (AP) is a relatively recent role in Ireland, and refers to a prehospital practitioner with advanced life-support skills and training. ⋯ AP diagnosis and admission prediction for emergency calls is similar to other emergency medical services systems despite the relative recency of the AP programme in Ireland. Recognition of non-concordance case types may identify priorities for AP education, and drive future AP practice in areas such as 'treat and refer'.