Best practice & research. Clinical anaesthesiology
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Sep 2013
Schoolchildren as lifesavers in Europe - training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation for children.
Sudden cardiac arrest is a major contributor to avoidable deaths in Europe. Immediate initiation of basic life support (BLS) by lay bystanders is among the most successful strategies in its treatment. Despite the fact that more than half of all cardiac arrests are witnessed in a number of European countries, layperson resuscitation is initiated in only one-fifth of all cases. ⋯ BLS instructions for schoolchildren - including the use of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) - have been shown to be feasible independently of the children's age or physical ability. Nonetheless, it appears reasonable to implement age-adjusted curricula. The earlier in the course of life-long learning BLS instruction begins, the more sustainable training may be.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Sep 2013
ERC initiatives to reduce the burden of cardiac arrest: the European Cardiac Arrest Awareness Day.
The rate of survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Europe remains unacceptably low and could be increased by better bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) rates. The European Resuscitation Council has announced that there will be a European Cardiac Arrest Awareness Day every year on the 16th of October. ⋯ The topic of this year's Awareness Day is 'Children Saving Lives' and it is hoped that all national resuscitation councils will promote awareness of the benefits of training all children in CPR and AED use and lobby for legislative change to ensure that all children receive this training. Children are not just the adults of tomorrow - they are the lifesavers of today and tomorrow.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Sep 2013
European Resuscitation Council (ERC) - the Network to fight against cardiac arrest in Europe.
The ideas of collaboration and formation of scientific societies and registries for cardiac arrest were developed in the 18th century. The European Resuscitation Council (ERC) was formed in 1990. ⋯ NRCs should emphasize and actively participate in acute care training of healthcare professionals and of lay rescuers. Implementation of current resuscitation guidelines should be a priority of each NRC and identification of the weakest link in the chain of survival should be a priority.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Sep 2013
Cardiac aetiology of cardiac arrest: percutaneous coronary interventions during and after cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Management and prevention of cardiac arrest in the setting of heart disease is a challenge for modern cardiology. After reviewing the aetiology of sudden cardiac death and discussing the way to identify candidates at risk, we emphasise the role of percutaneous coronary interventions during and after cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the treatment of patients with return of spontaneous circulation after cardiac arrest.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Sep 2013
Epidemiology and management of cardiac arrest: what registries are revealing.
Major European institutions report cardiovascular disease (CVD) as the first cause of death in adults, with cardiac arrest and sudden death due to coronary ischaemia as the primary single cause. Global incidence of CVD is decreasing in most European countries, due to prevention, lifestyle and treatment. Mortality of acute coronary events inside the hospital decreases more rapidly than outside the hospital. ⋯ There is considerable overlap between both definitions. But this explains that no single method can provide all information. Integrating data from multiple sources (local, national, multinational registries and surveys, death certificates, post-mortem reports, community statistics, medical records) may create a holistic picture of cardiac arrest in the community.