When AEDs Fail, CPR Works

From MedPage Today:

When a sudden cardiac arrest does not respond to shocks from an automated external defibrillator (AED), continuous cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) improves survival, researchers found.

Delivering chest compressions rather than spending time analyzing rhythms on an AED was associated with improved return of spontaneous circulation and one-year survival, reported Peter J. Kudenchuk, MD, from the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues.

Those receiving continuous chest compression also were 54% more likely to have favorable neurological outcomes at discharge compared with those receiving CPR with pauses for ventilation, according to the study published online in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Readers sound off on ED Experiments, ‘Frequent Fliers,’ Teamwork

From Hospitals and Health Networks:

In this month’s mailbag, H&HN Daily readers weigh in with their thoughts on recent pieces on experiments to redirect non-urgent patients from emergency departments, building trust with so-called “frequent fliers” and whether health care’s teamwork trend extends to the C-Suite.

“The best lecture on Airway Management – Ever?”

From EMCrit:

Rich Levitan is one of the best teachers on the skills of laryngoscopy–or as he would probably put it, epiglottoscopy. Here is an hour long lecture he delivered last month at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. It is surely one of the best airway lectures I have ever heard.

Hospital Coaches Frequent E.R. Users To Improve Care, Reduce Costs

From Capital Public Radio:

Most days, Wendy deals with clients who have better prospects. On this day, she also saw a patient with an antibiotic-resistant blood infection who’s waiting for a liver transplant and she dealt with a man with diabetes who stopped eating in a bout of depression. She works with patients outside hospital walls connecting them to social and medical services, and making sure they follow through with their care. 

Case Report; Successful resuscitation almost 7 hrs after cold water immersion arrest

From the International Journal of Emergency Medicine:

A 41-year-old man suffered hypothermic cardiac arrest after water immersion and was transported to our university hospital by ambulance helicopter for rewarming on cardiopulmonary bypass. He resumed spontaneous cardiac activity 6 h 52 min after cardiac arrest and recovered completely.

Happy Birthday, EM Literature of Note!

Fantastic blog

Here’s his top 5 list for year one.

The top five most frequently viewed articles:
#1. Yet Another Highly Sensitive Troponin – In JAMA
#2. Too Many Traumatic Arrests Are Transported
#3. Cardiology Corner – More Brugada Tidbits
#4. C-Collars Cannot Stabilize Unstable Injuries
#5. Must We Use Paracetamol/Acetaminophen?