Swiss medical weekly
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Resuscitation outside the hospital setting is a topic of increasing interest and discussion. A satisfactory neurologic outcome after acute cardiac arrest depends on immediate basic and the advanced cardiac life support (BCLS + ACLS). ⋯ To secure rapid assistance there should be one single phone number (e.g. 144) for emergency calls throughout Switzerland. Professionalism in the workup of emergency calls and in first aid by specialized personnel produces good results not only in cardiac but also in trauma patients.
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Swiss medical weekly · May 1993
[Efficacy of adenosine triphosphate in terminating supraventricular tachycardia].
The efficacy of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was tested in 23 patients suffering from supraventricular tachycardia; 10 patients had orthodromic circus movement tachycardia and 13 typical av nodal reentrant tachycardia. At a mean dose of 0.18 mg/kg all tachycardias were halted in less than 1 minute due to transient acute av nodal block followed by return to normal av conduction within 8 seconds. ⋯ One elderly subject had a short episode of atrial fibrillation after the acute av block. In conclusion, ATP is useful and safe for rapid termination of supraventricular tachycardias incorporating the av node in their circuit.
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Gastric lavage, intestinal charcoal decontamination and specific drug antagonism, therapeutic measures widely applied in other intoxications, are of no clear benefit or unavailable in patients with alcohol intoxication. The gastric first-pass-effect is important in modifying the kinetics of alcohol, and clinically relevant drug-alcohol interactions occur in situations of both acute and chronic alcohol abuse. Alcohol-induced hypoglycemia and ketoacidosis should be considered in every severely ill alcoholic patient. The recognition of alcoholism is important and rewarding, since therapeutic action by the practicing physician can be of significant help.