Complete Copy October 2017

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Complete Copy October 2017 Seneca County Emergency Medical Services Medical Protocols Index SECTION / TOPIC PAGE GENERAL STANDARDS 5 Scope and Purpose Communications Transport Procedures Legal Considerations Refusal Policy Life Flight Policy DOA Policy Physician on Scene Direct Admission Policy Universal Standard of Care Needleless System Haz-Mat Situations DNR Comfort Care MEDICAL PROCEDURES / EQUIPMENT Oropharyngeal Airway 21 Nasopharyngeal Airway 22 Tracheal Suctioning 24 Advanced Airway Management King LTSD 25 Intubation 27 Pediatric Intubation 29 Visualized Intubation 30 Nasotracheal Intubation 31 Needle Thoracentesis 32 Surgical Cricothyroidotomy 33 Pediatric Cricothyroidotomy 34 Nebulizer 36 KED 36 Respiratory Mask 38 Auto Vent 3000 40 Pulse Oximeter 42 Traction Splint 42 External Cardiac Pacing 46 Intraosseous Needle 46 CPAP 51 ECG Transmission 53 October 2017 1 Seneca County Emergency Medical Services Medical Protocols EZ-IO Appendix ReQPod (Thoracic Impedance Device) Appendix Post Intubation Management 49 SECTION / TOPIC PAGE TRAUMA EMERGENCIES 54 Transport Life Threatening Adult Trauma Major Trauma Abdominal Trauma Amputations Chest Trauma Tension Pneumothorax Eye Injuries Extremity Trauma Face and Neck Trauma Head Trauma Shock – Traumatic Spinal Trauma Burns Pain Management (Non-cardiac) MEDICAL EMERGENCIES 76 Abdominal Pain Altered Mental States CVA Coma / Unconscious Diabetic Hypertension Hyperthermia Hypothermia Poisons and Overdose Seizures Shock – Medical Vomiting and Diarrhea Syncope CARDIAC EMERGENCIES 101 Cardiac Arrest Acute Pulmonary Edema Ventricular Fibrillation/Pulseless Ventricular Tachydardia Pulseless Electrical Activity Asystole October 2017 2 Seneca County Emergency Medical Services Medical Protocols Automatic Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Traumatic Cardiac Arrest Hypothermic Cardiac Arrest Bradycardia Third Degree Heart Block/Type II Second Degree AV Block Unstable Tachycardia Narrow Complex Tachycardia & Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia Monomorphic or Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia Wide Complex Tachycardia Atrial Fibrillation / Flutter Tachycardia Cardiogenic Shock Acute Coronary Syndromes 12 Lead ECG ICE Protocol (modified) RESPIRATORY EMERGENCIES 125 Anaphylaxis Asthma COPD Drowning / Near Drowning PEDIATRIC EMERGENCIES 132 Pediatric Tables Respiratory Distress Asthma Allergy / Anaphylaxis Cardiac Arrest Ventricular Fibrillation/Pulseless V-tach Pulseless Electrical Activity Asystole Traumatic Cardiac Arrest Hypothermic Cardiac Arrest Bradycardia Symptomatic Tachycardia Premature Ventricular Contractions IV / IO Seizures Poisoning and Overdose OBSTETRICAL EMERGENCIES 155 Deliveries & Neonate Resuscitation October 2017 3 Seneca County Emergency Medical Services Medical Protocols Normal Delivery Infant Abandonment Abdominal Pain – Third Trimester Sexual Assault Vaginal Bleeding PHARMACOLOGY Adenocard 162 Amiodarone 162 Aspirin 164 Atropine 164 Benadryl 165 Dextrose 166 Diazepam (Valium) 172 Epinephrine 166 Fentanyl 171 Glucagon 167 Lasix 167 Lidocaine 168 Morphine Sulfate 168 Narcan 169 Nitroglycerin 169 Sodium Bicarbonate 170 Ventolin 170 Versed 172 Fentanyl 171 Zofran 172 Instant Glucose 173 October 2017 4 Seneca County Emergency Medical Services Medical Protocols GENERAL STANDARDS SCOPE AND PURPOSE The purpose of the protocols in the Seneca County system is to establish guidelines for the Paramedic, EMT-Intermediate, EMT-Basic, and Medical Control for the management, treatment and transport of specific medical emergencies. The protocols set forth are not designed nor intended to limit the Paramedic, EMT-Intermediate, or EMT-Basic in the exercise of good judgment or initiative in taking responsible action in extraordinary circumstances. These protocols are intended to assist in achieving excellent consistent pre-hospital care for the patient. Pre-hospital care is a shared responsibility between the Physician and the Emergency Medical Technician. The services which the Emergency Medical Technicians are authorized to perform pursuant to the Ohio Revised Code shall be performed by the Emergency Medical Technician to his/her training level only pursuant to the written or verbal authorization of the Medical Director or Medical Control. The Department of Transportation (DOT) National Standard Curriculum approved by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration shall constitute the standard of care and procedures in the Seneca County EMS system, in all cases where written protocols, directives, and policies do not address patient care or disposition. Our objective is not only to serve the people of our community, but also to give them our best possible services. We will measure up to the high standard required of emergency medical service only by coordinating our operations, working together, and maintaining a high degree of professionalism. EMT personnel are expected to use the protocols up to their level of training. The fact that there is a protocol for a given procedure/treatment does not imply that an individual without training in that procedure/ treatment is authorized to do the procedure/treatment. When in doubt concerning the performance of a procedure/treatment the EMT individual must contact Medical Control. COMMUNICATIONS A. Medical Control Notification It is the responsibility of the squad personnel to contact Medical Control and report your patient assessment to the Emergency Department staff. Your verbal report should start with the age, sex, and Chief Complaint of the patient. Next, you should give the vital signs, level of consciousness, and a brief history of present illness. Third, you should describe the skin’s color, temperature and moisture; lung sounds and effort; heart sounds; and abdominal exam. Fourth, you should report all treatment being provided to the patient. Fifth, your E.T.A. And last, allergies, if medication is being requested. B. Communications Failure Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code 4765.40, if there is a communications failure that prevents contact with Medical Control, the Paramedic may proceed with the Medical Protocols past the point in the Standing Orders where contacting Medical Control is indicated, if the life of the patient is in immediate danger. Such a communication failure should be documented and forwarded to the Seneca County EMS Director. October 2017 5 Seneca County Emergency Medical Services Medical Protocols Utilize the EMS Charts SPECIAL REPORT to document any field communications failures. If you are unable to utilize the EMS Charts Special Report – please complete the following form to report any failure of the Seneca County Communications system. SENECA COUNTY EMS COMMUNICATION FAILURE INCIDENT REPORT SQUAD____________________________ INCIDENT#_________________ DATE___________________ TIME OF OCCURANCE___________________________ DESCRIBE THE COMMUNICATION FAILURE_________________________________________________ WHAT ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM? ________________________________ DID YOU HAVE TO GO BEYOND STANDING ORDERS DUE TO FAILURE? YES_____ NO_____ WHAT PROTOCOLS DID YOU INSTITUTE AND WHY? ________________________________________ PATIENT NAME_______________________________________________________ NATURE OF CALL_____________________________________________________ SIGNED _____________________________________________ Medic/Intermediate/Basic ______________________________________________ Medic/Intermediate/Basic ______________________________________________ Medic/Intermediate/Basic ______________________________________________EMS Coordinator ____________________________ EMS Director DATE_________ _____________________________Medical Director DATE_________ October 2017 6 Seneca County Emergency Medical Services Medical Protocols TRANSPORT PROCEDURES All patients that are assessed by Seneca County EMS Personnel will be transported to area hospitals based upon location and patient condition. A patient may not wish to be transported to the closest medical facility, but the EMT must decide the appropriate hospital based upon what condition the patient presents to them. An ill or injured patient may refuse care from Seneca County EMS personnel. The EMT must deem the patient competent and of legal age to make said decision. All patients not competent to refuse care will be transported by Seneca County EMS to an appropriate hospital. The patient who is not of legal age, age 18, will be transported to a medical facility if a parent or legal guardian is not available. SPECIAL NOTE: (The emergency physician or medical control may also ask that you transport the patient to another hospital when overcrowding occurs or when local emergency department resources dictate such a diversion to benefit/facilitate patient care. Example: During a disaster and the hospital is operating under disaster protocol.) In the event you are directed to transport to another hospital, contact Seneca County Sheriff’s Dispatch and notify them that you have been directed to transport to another hospital. LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS I. CONSENT A. A mentally competent patient has the right to consider or refuse treatment and/or transport. B. Consent is “implied” when the patient is unable to consent to treatment do to: 1. Age 2. Mental Status 3. Medical Condition C. In no event should legal consent procedures be allowed to delay treatment. If the time delay is due to obtaining lawful consent from an authorized person, that would present a: 1. Serious risk of death 2. Serious impairment of health 3. Would prolong pain or suffering D. Age of consent is 18 years of
Recommended publications
  • 2015 Korean Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
    Clin Exp Emerg Med 2016;3(S):S1-S9 http://dx.doi.org/10.15441/ceem.16.133 Supplementary Part 1. The update process and eISSN: 2383-4625 highlights: 2015 Korean Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Sung Oh Hwang1, Sung Phil Chung2, Keun Jeong Song3, Hyun Kim1, Tae Ho Rho4, Kyu Nam Park5, Young-Min Kim5, June Dong Park6, Ai-Rhan Ellen Kim7, Hyuk Jun Yang8 Received: 16 February 2016 Revised: 19 March 2016 1 Department of Emergency Medicine, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju, Korea Accepted: 19 March 2016 2Department of Emergency Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 3Department of Emergency Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Correspondence to: Sung Oh Hwang 4Department of Internal Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Department of Emergency Medicine, 5Department of Emergency Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea 6Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Yonsei University Wonju College of 7Department of Pediatrics, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea Medicine, 20 Ilsan-ro, Wonju 26426, 8Department of Emergency Medicine, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea Korea E-mail: [email protected] THE BACKGROUND AND UPDATE PROCESS OF THE GUIDELINES FOR CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION 1. The background of the guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation Cardiac arrest can occur inside medical institutions (in-hospital)
    [Show full text]
  • Respiratory Monitoring System Using Thermistor
    International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics Volume 119 No. 12 2018, 11567-11575 ISSN: 1314-3395 (on-line version) url: http://www.ijpam.eu Special Issue ijpam.eu RESPIRATORY MONITORING SYSTEM USING THERMISTOR 1Gagandeep kour , 2Mohammad Rouman ,Geetha.M3 1,2UG Students, 3Assistant Professor Department of Biomedical Engineering BIHER, BIST, Bharath University Chennai- 6000073. gagandeeplkour. [email protected] Abstract:- respiration is defined as the process of movement of oxygen from the outside air to the cells within tissues and the transport of carbon dioxide in the opposite direction. Respiration can be cellular as well as physiological. In cellular respiration an organism obtains energy in the form of ATP by oxidising nutrients and releasing waste products while as the physiological respiration is necessary to sustain cellular respiration and thus life. Physiological respiration involves ventilation of lungs alveoli with atmospheric air moved into and out of the lungs through inhalation and exhalation, otherwise known as breathing. This project helps to checks the breathing rate of a patient who is suffering from coma, trauma, strokes, seizures at easily accessible levels. The respiratory monitoring system helps to check the breathing rate of a patient with the help of an arduino based system. the main components of this machine are Arduino, thermistor, heart pulse rate sensor, LED, LCD, buzzer alarm, battery. The patient breathes through a mask in which thermistor is placed and then the machine measures the breathing rate. the arduino used here is Arduino UNO(ATmega328 P). Keywords: respiratory device, breathing, Arduino, heart pulse rate sensor, thermistor, alarm. contains 2.5-3.0 litres of air.
    [Show full text]
  • Contents Contents by Condition
    Contents Contents by Condition ..................ix Thomas' test .....................54 Foreword ...............................xv Tinel's sign ..........................55 Preface ............................xvi... Trendelenburg's sign ................... 56 Acknowledgements................... XVIII ... True leg length discrepancy (anatomic Authors ...........................xv111 leg length discrepancy) ............... 57 Expert Reviewers ..................... xix Ulnar deviation ...................... 58 Reviewers ..........................xix V-sign ............................. 59 Abbreviations ........................ xx Valgus deformity ..................... 60 Varus deformity ......................63 Chapter 1 Yergason's sign ...................... 65 Musculoskeletal Signs .... Anterior drawer test ...... ........2 Chapter 2 Apley's grind test ......................3 Respiratory Signs ........................71 Apley's scratch test ..................... 4 Apparent leg length inequality (functional Accessory muscle breathing ........................... 73 leg length) ......................... 5 Agonal respiration ......................................... 74 Apprehension test (crank test) .............6 Apneustic breathing (also apneusis) ................ 75 Apprehension-relocation test (Fowler's Apnoea ........................................................ 76 agn) .............................7 Asterixis ........................................................78 Bouchard's and Heberden's nodes ..........8 Asymmetrical chest expansion
    [Show full text]
  • Cardiac Arrest Recognition and Telephone CPR by Emergency Medical Dispatchers
    OriginalgOdRe Article Cardiac arrest recognition and telephone CPR by emergency medical dispatchers Mark Anthony Attard Biancardi, Peter Spiteri, Maria Pia Pace Abstract Results: The mean percentage recognition of Introduction: Emergency Medical Service out of hospital cardiac arrest by the Maltese EMDs (EMS) systems annually encounters about 275 000 was 67%. 28% of EMDs who recognized cardiac out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients in arrest asked both questions regarding patient’s Europe and approximately 420,000 cases in the responsiveness and breathing whilst only 8% of United States.1 Survival rates have been reported to EMDs who did not recognize cardiac arrest asked be poor with approximately 10% survival to both questions. The mean percentage of telephone hospital discharge.2 The chance of surviving from assisted CPR was 58%. an OHCA is highly associated with Emergency Conclusion: When compared to other Medical Dispatchers’ (EMD) recognition of cardiac European countries, OHCA recognition by Maltese arrest, early bystander cardiopulmonary EMDs needs to improve. However, given that the resuscitation (CPR), and early defibrillation.3-6 local EMDs have no formal guidelines or Method: This study was a simulation based algorithms for their use during 112 calls, results are study. All emergency nurses who were eligible by encouraging to say the least especially in telephone training to answer 112 calls and activate the EMS assisted CPR. With education and simulation training, were included in this study. The simulations were these numbers should improve run by two experienced ED nurses who followed predefined scripts. The two key questions that the Key Words authors were after included ascertaining patient Emergency Medical Services, Emergency responsiveness and breathing status.
    [Show full text]
  • Dive Medicine Aide-Memoire Lt(N) K Brett Reviewed by Lcol a Grodecki Diving Physics Physics
    Dive Medicine Aide-Memoire Lt(N) K Brett Reviewed by LCol A Grodecki Diving Physics Physics • Air ~78% N2, ~21% O2, ~0.03% CO2 Atmospheric pressure Atmospheric Pressure Absolute Pressure Hydrostatic/ gauge Pressure Hydrostatic/ Gauge Pressure Conversions • Hydrostatic/ gauge pressure (P) = • 1 bar = 101 KPa = 0.987 atm = ~1 atm for every 10 msw/33fsw ~14.5 psi • Modification needed if diving at • 10 msw = 1 bar = 0.987 atm altitude • 33.07 fsw = 1 atm = 1.013 bar • Atmospheric P (1 atm at 0msw) • Absolute P (ata)= gauge P +1 atm • Absolute P = gauge P + • °F = (9/5 x °C) +32 atmospheric P • °C= 5/9 (°F – 32) • Water virtually incompressible – density remains ~same regardless • °R (rankine) = °F + 460 **absolute depth/pressure • K (Kelvin) = °C + 273 **absolute • Density salt water 1027 kg/m3 • Density fresh water 1000kg/m3 • Calculate depth from gauge pressure you divide press by 0.1027 (salt water) or 0.10000 (fresh water) Laws & Principles • All calculations require absolute units • Henry’s Law: (K, °R, ATA) • The amount of gas that will dissolve in a liquid is almost directly proportional to • Charles’ Law V1/T1 = V2/T2 the partial press of that gas, & inversely proportional to absolute temp • Guy-Lussac’s Law P1/T1 = P2/T2 • Partial Pressure (pp) – pressure • Boyle’s Law P1V1= P2V2 contributed by a single gas in a mix • General Gas Law (P1V1)/ T1 = (P2V2)/ T2 • To determine the partial pressure of a gas at any depth, we multiply the press (ata) • Archimedes' Principle x %of that gas Henry’s Law • Any object immersed in liquid is buoyed
    [Show full text]
  • First Aid Guide and Emergency Treatment Instructions
    FFiiiiiirrsstt AAiiiiiidd GGuuiiiiiiddee aanndd EEmmeerrggeennccyy TTrreeaattmmeenntt IIIIIInnssttrruuccttiiiiiioonnss SAPPORO FIRE BUREAU What Is CPR? Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency treatment that try to restart the heart and breathing during cardiac arrest by performing chest compressions and artificial respiration. Cardiac arrest victims become unconscious within 15 seconds after the heart stops and if no CPR is performed, it only takes 3 to 4 minutes for the person to become brain dead due to a lack of oxygen. By performing CPR as soon as the heart stops, you circulate the blood so it can provide oxygen to the body in order to stay the brain and the other organs alive. The person’s chances of survival drop as the time passes by, however, it will slow down if CPR is performed. Moreover, combining CPR and AED (automatic external defibrillator) will be more effective for survival and to prevent after effects. ※ To save people’s life, YOU are the person to take an action. How and When to Call an Ambulance In recent years, the ambulance wait time has increased due to the rising numbers of ambulance usage. How long does it take for an ambulance to arrive in Japan? It generally takes about 8 minutes on average to arrive in Japan and about 6 minutes in Sapporo. When to call an ambulance? Patients with less serious and non-urgent health concerns should be diverted from calling an ambulance. For example… ・ “It’s not bleeding anymore but I got a papercut on my finger.” ・ “I called an ambulance because my home helper didn’t come.” ・ “I called an ambulance so that the doctor will see me faster.” Patients who require emergency treatments should not hesitate and immediately call an ambulance.
    [Show full text]
  • Bystander Initiated and Dispatcher Assisted Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
    From The Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden Bystander Initiated and Dispatcher Assisted Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest Katarina Bohm Stockholm MMIX All previously published papers were reproduced with permission from the publisher. Published by Karolinska Institutet. Printed by Larserics Digital Print AB, Sundbyberg © Katarina Bohm, 2009 ISBN 978-91-7409-611-8 ABSTRACT Cardiac arrest (CA) is a common cause of death. In Sweden approximately 6 000- 10 000 people annually suffer a CA outside hospital. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can save lives in an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The aim of this thesis was to describe various aspects of CPR and the emergency medical dispatcher (EMD) organisation to find approaches for enhancing bystander intervention in OHCA. Methods and results: In Study I, 315 consecutive cases of OHCA during a 3-month period in 2004 were analysed to describe the frequency of as well as hindrance to dispatcher-assisted CPR. Seventy-six cases met the inclusion and exclusion criteria as witnessed, non-traumatic CA and the corresponding tapes recordings of the emergency calls were analyzed. Dispatchers offered bystanders telephone instructions for CPR in 47% (n=36) of cases. Only two bystanders were unwilling to perform CPR. Signs of breathing (agonal respiration) were described in 45% of cases. CPR was offered to 23% (n=10) of patients with agonal respiration versus 92% (n=23) of those without any form of breathing signs (p=0.001). To evaluate whether tuition in recognition of agonal respiration will improve EMD recognition of CA and subsequent offers of assisted CPR by telephone (TCPR) was addressed in Study II.
    [Show full text]
  • Does Noninvasive Ventilation Work in ARDS? a Case Report and Review of the Current Literature P Malhotra, S K Jindal
    745 Emerg Med J: first published as 10.1136/emj.2004.016352 on 27 September 2005. Downloaded from CASE REPORTS Does noninvasive ventilation work in ARDS? A case report and review of the current literature P Malhotra, S K Jindal ............................................................................................................................... Emerg Med J 2005;22:745–746. doi: 10.1136/emj.2003.013995 12 and EPAP 8 cm H2O. Levels of IPAP and EPAP were The role of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) gradually reduced as the patient’s clinical condition and in adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is controver- blood gases showed a steady improvement. He was dis- sial, in contrast to its well established benefits in other types of charged after a hospital stay of 11 days with a satisfactory respiratory failure, especially acute exacerbations of chronic arterial blood gas result in room air, and advised to continue obstructive pulmonary disease and cardiogenic pulmonary levofloxacin for a period of 3 weeks. On follow up a month oedema. We report a case of ARDS caused by Mycoplasma later, the patient was asymptomatic, his cold agglutinin titres pneumoniae in a 70 year old man, treated with NIPPV in had declined to 1:8, and there was almost complete clearing addition to standard medical therapy and analyse current on chest x ray. evidence regarding the role of NIPPV in patients with ARDS. DISCUSSION It is now recognised that Mycoplasma pneumoniae, traditionally believed to cause mild disease, is the aetiological agent in 70 year old retired police inspector presented to the about 2–7% cases of severe community acquired pneumonia emergency department with a 10 day history of fever (CAP).23 However, ARDS due to M.
    [Show full text]
  • A Practical Handbook on Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Therapy
    A Practical Handbook on Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Therapy Dietrich Klauwer Christoph Neuhaeuser Josef Thul Rainer Zimmermann Editors 123 A Practical Handbook on Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Therapy Dietrich Klauwer · Christoph Neuhaeuser Josef Thul · Rainer Zimmermann Editors A Practical Handbook on Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Therapy Editors Dietrich Klauwer Christoph Neuhaeuser Center for Paediatrics and Youth Universitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg Health Singen Paediatric Cardiac ICU and Heart Singen Transplantation Program Germany Gießen Germany Josef Thul Universitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg Rainer Zimmermann Paediatric Cardiac ICU and Heart Global Medical Leader in Medical Affairs Transplantation Program Actelion Pharmaceuticals Gießen Allschwil Germany Switzerland Translation from the German language edition: Pädiatrische Intensivmedizin – Kinderkardiologische Praxis, 2. erw. Auflage by D. Klauwer / C. Neuhaeuser / J. Thul / R. Zimmermann, © Deutscher Ärzteverlag 2017 ISBN 978-3-319-92440-3 ISBN 978-3-319-92441-0 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92441-0 Library of Congress Control Number: 2018957468 © Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature 2019 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
    [Show full text]
  • Education 39 –43 40:39
    J R Coll Physicians Edinb 2010; 40:39–43 CME doi:10.4997/JRCPE.2010.121 © 2010 Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh Update on cardiopulmonary resuscitation 1R Good, 2P Broadhurst 1Specialty Registrar in Cardiology; 2Consultant Cardiologist, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, UK ABSTRACT Adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has been shown to improve Correspondence to R Good, survival for individuals suffering cardiac arrest. Despite this, the delivery of basic life Department of Cardiology, support to victims outside the clinical environment remains poor, particularly as Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, only a minority receive resuscitation. In addition, research continues to examine the Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZN, UK optimal techniques for CPR and guidelines have been modified to reflect the latest tel. +44 (0)1224 559308 developments. These guidelines are a compromise between simplicity and e-mail [email protected] effectiveness. While the core of the guidelines remains unchanged, the latest recommendations focus on minimising any delay in the assessment of the collapsed patient and the initiation of CPR. They also address the recent body of opinion promoting compression-only CPR as an alternative to the combined technique of compression and mouth-to-mouth ventilation. Throughout the guidelines a more pragmatic approach to resuscitation is adopted to try to encourage all individuals, whether trained healthcare professionals or lay people, to initiate resuscitation. An acknowledgement of the reasons why individuals may be reluctant to start resuscitation through fear or anxiety will hopefully help to encourage the instigation of these techniques. This overview will summarise the guidelines and highlight alterations or alternatives where appropriate. KEYWORDS Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, chest compression, defibrillation, guidelines, ventilation EDUCATION DECLARATION OF INTERESTS No conflict of interests declared.
    [Show full text]
  • Airway and Respiratory Management Following Non-Lethal Hanging
    445 CME Article Airway and respiratory Abdullah Kaki MB CI-IB, management following Edward T Crosb 7 MO FRCPC,* Anne CP Lui MD Fr~CvCt non-lethal hanging Purpose: q~ review the literature on airway and respiratory management following non-lethal (suicidal) hangang and to describe the anatomy, injury and pathophysiological sequelae and their impact on patient care. Source: A IVedline literature search of English-languageand English-abstracted papers for 1990-96. Keywords were: hanging; strangulation; airway obstruction; pulmonary oedema, filters were applied to limit the search to relevant cita- tions. (i.e., keywords = pulmonary oedema; filters = postobstructive, neurogenic). C~ations were then hand-culled to obtain current and relevant papers about an unusual cohort of paaents. A hand search of the bibliographies of rel- evant papers supplemented the Medline search. A review of our experience at the University of Ottawa adult hospi- tals over the last decade was also undertaken to determine the relevance of the Irterature to our clinical experiences. Principal Findings: Most victims are young men and survwors are uncommon. Laryngo-tracheal injuries, although reported in 2,3-50% of postmortem examinations, are infrequent in survivors and have little impact on airway man- agement. Spinal injuries are rare in survivors but should be excluded. Pulmonary complications including pulmonary oedema and I~ronchopneumonia are implicated in most in-hospital deaths. Pulmonary oedema is likely due to neuro- genie factors c,r negative intrathoracic pressure. Although neurological injury determines outcome following hanging, ini- tial neurological presentation is of limited prognostic value: a poor initial condition does not exclude a good recovery.
    [Show full text]
  • SMJ-58-449 0.Pdf
    Singapore Med J 2017; 58(7): 449-452 Commentary doi: 10.11622/smedj.2017059 TThehe rroleole ooff ddispatchispatch iinn rresuscitationesuscitation Yih Yng Ng1, MBBS, MPH, Siew Hon Benjamin Leong2, MBBS, MRCSEd, Marcus Eng Hock Ong3,4, MBBS, MPH ABSTRACT The role of the dispatch centre has increasingly become a focus of attention in cardiac arrest resuscitation. The dispatch centre is part of the fi rst link in the chain of survival because without the initiation of early access, the rest of the chain is irrelevant. The infl uence of dispatch can also extend to the initiation of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, early defi brillation and the rapid dispatch of emergency ambulances. The new International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, the American Heart Association and, especially, the European Resuscitation Council 2015 guidelines have been increasing their emphasis on dispatch as the key to improving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival. Keywords: cardiopulmonary resuscitation, dispatcher-assisted CPR, primary safety access point, public access defi brillation, telephone CPR INTRODUCTION Scientifi c evidence has also led to strong recommendations for Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is inherently hard to survive. identifying agonal breathing over the phone as an early indicator In Singapore, although the survival rate of witnessed cardiac of OHCA, coaching/coaxing bystanders to initiate hands-only CPR arrests with a ventricular fi brillation origin has climbed from effectively and increasing the use of public access defi brillation 2.5% (2001–2004) to 11.0% (2010–2012),(1) and overall cardiac to raise survival outcomes.(4) arrest survival has increased from 1.6% to 3.2%, there is still room for improvement in many areas.
    [Show full text]