Emergency Cardiac Care News Digest is an assortment of current events and news related to emergency cardiac care and resuscitation. Produced by Code One Training Solutions, Emergency Cardiac Care News Digest is published every Friday throughout the year.
DON’T WAIT FOR THE HELP. BE THE HELP.
Officer Bryan Platz, Coon Rapids Police Department
ENCORE! Citizen CPR Foundation releases a new resource to help communities to improve card
A new resource from CCPRF provides an overview of a community-based approach to improving cardiac arrest outcomes. The resource leverages evidence-based recommendations and best practices that, when combined, can enable short- and long-term improvements for people who experience sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). In addition to strategies, the resource features thirteen executable recommendations as well as resources from a constellation of organizational and industry partners. The Foundation designed the resource to inspire and guide communities in implementing life saving strategies, thereby helping to save more lives by preventing sudden cardiac arrest from becoming sudden cardiac death. Improving survival isn’t limited to AEDs and training…it requires a comprehensive approach.
Lincoln State Bank in Hankinson, ND moves AED to a 24/7 accessible entryway of the building
A brand new Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is now available 24/7 to anyone in Hankinson. Since Tuesday, March 19, it has been located in the unlocked entryway of Lincoln State Bank, 302 Main Ave. S. AED devices are used in the event of heart-related emergencies. While the new AED has not been used as of 9 a.m. Monday, April 1, supporters are glad to know that it is available. “We have a sign up in our window letting people know about the AED,” said Gwen Loll, Lincoln State Bank’s information systems manager and a volunteer with the Hankinson Ambulance service. “We have also had people come and tell us that they think this is a great thing to have.”
A 2017 study actually ranked businesses and municipal locations by spatiotemporal OHCA risk in their immediate vicinity. ATMs and banks were among the top ranking.
Prehospital high-dose methylprednisolone in resuscitated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients (STEROHCA): a randomized clinical trial
Patients who are successfully resuscitated following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) are still at a high risk of neurological damage and death. Inflammation and brain injury are components of the post-cardiac arrest syndrome, and can be assessed by systemic interleukin 6 (IL-6) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE). Anti-inflammatory treatment with methylprednisolone may dampen inflammation, thereby improving outcome. This study aimed to determine if prehospital high-dose methylprednisolone could reduce IL-6 and NSE in comatose OHCA patients.
Los Angeles County launches huge effort to train residents how to save lives
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced on Monday, April 1 its Community Readiness Champions Initiative with the goal of training county residents and workers in crucial lifesaving skills needed during emergencies and amidst disasters in which emergency responses are sometimes hampered. The in-person and online trainings available to the public will include hands-only CPR and automated external defibrillator awareness, how to stop bleeding, mental health first aid and Naloxone training. The Public Health initiative comes after 506,332 Los Angeles County residents were trained in hands-only CPR in 2023.
Two shinty players helped to save the life of a referee after he suffered a cardiac arrest during a game in the Highlands. Steven Maclachlan collapsed early in the first half of Saturday’s MacTavish Cup tie between Caberfeidh and Kinlochshiel in Strathpeffer. Kinlochshiel captain Conor Cormack and team-mate Keith Macrae, who are both firefighters, used a defibrillator from Caberfeidh’s clubhouse and CPR to resuscitate Mr Maclachlan. First aiders, other players and spectators also assisted in helping to make Mr Maclachlan comfortable and alerting emergency services. Mr Cormack said: “Everyone couldn’t do enough to help.” “For Steven to come back to us after delivering two shocks and I don’t know how many rounds of CPR was an absolute win.”
Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death: Beyond Automated External Defibrillators and Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators
This year, ≈400 000 Americans will have a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Despite a sophisticated chain of survival that involves cardiopulmonary resuscitation, use of automated external defibrillators, and transport for advanced hospital care, ≈10% will survive. The vast majority will experience a sudden cardiac death (SCD). The primary prevention implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD, largely for those with left ventricular ejection fraction <35%) can prevent SCD with a therapeutic shock that occurs within seconds. However, the ≈150 000 that will be implanted this year will deliver appropriate shocks in 3% to 5%,1 saving an estimated average number of 6000 lives per year. These gradually diminishing returns from the ICD can be attributed to “getting with the guidelines” and a steady stream of successful new treatments for heart failure. The field continues to work on refining SCD risk stratification, especially for high-risk individuals with left ventricular ejection fraction >35%, but these developments will take time, running the gamut of new clinical trials and revisions to clinical guidelines. In the meantime, could we develop a new strategy for SCD prevention beyond automated external defibrillators and ICDs, with a faster turnaround time?
Commentary-Code Status Discussions; Difficult but Necessary
By Mark Menet, MD, MPH I thought it was just where I practiced, but it turns out that, in the medical field, we’re really bad about having code discussions, which is a significant issue. When some of my patients revealed that no one had ever asked them about their code status before, I decided to conduct some research on this topic. It turns out that, at most, 41% of patients recall discussions about their code status, however, the 10.3% as documented by another study seems much more accurate. I will admit I’m far from perfect, but my experience caring for intubated patients during the COVID-19 pandemic compels me to broach the subject as frequently as possible. Though I am taking care of less-seriously ill patients than before, those heartbreaking experiences shape how I view these non-beneficial interventions. However, I can’t describe the meaningless gesture that many codes become to my patients. Despite our inaccuracies in predicting mortality, or whether a person will survive a code, patients deserve the use of this knowledge, and squeamishness about having the conversation should not prevent this.3,4 As I put forth more effort towards having these conversations I find I am better able to convey the ethical challenge a code presents to us as physicians.
Former Wiggle Greg Page teams up with Heart Foundation
Founding member of The Wiggles and the Heart of the Nation initiative, Greg Page, has announced his organisation will be teaming up with the Heart Foundation to increase awareness and access to life-saving tools and skills. Heart Foundation chief executive David Lloyd believes the memorandum of understanding signed by the organisations will enhance efforts to push for more devices. “The 60-year strong history of the Heart Foundation combined with Heart of the Nation’s energy and determination to help more Australians survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrests will help to enhance efforts to place more defibrillators where they are needed most,” Lloyd said.
ENCORE! The cognitive gap in CPR training is costing lives
“As it stands, traditional CPR training focuses on imparting to trainees the mechanics of chest compressions, defibrillator use and basic airway management. While these skills are undoubtedly essential, they are useless if a potential rescuer does not have the mental toolkit to act on their CPR expertise. A number of psychological phenomena, including some especially persistent in young adults, malign a provider’s ability to conduct CPR. For that reason, certification training must include behavioral coaching.”
After experiencing cardiac arrest, woman urges more CPR, AED education
BALTIMORE COUNTY — A woman is sharing her story of a near-death experience in hopes of raising awareness about the importance of knowing life-saving techniques like CPR and using an AED. That woman is Breanna Sudano. Her life was saved nearly 13-years-ago after she went into cardiac arrest at a field hockey game. She was 13 at the time. Now, she is 26-years-old. Now, more than a decade later, her story is still being told as a way to raise awareness of the importance of knowing CPR and how to use AED’s.
Free lifesaving training available through CPR 100 program
When thinking of life-saving moments, people often picture first responders – but you don’t have to be one of these highly-trained professionals to help someone in a moment of crisis. With proper training, almost anyone can assume the role of life-saver in an emergency. Launching its inaugural CPR 100 program this month, the NyE Communities Coalition is now offering residents the chance to arm themselves with the knowledge and skills they need to react quickly and competently to an array of life-threatening situations, completely free of charge. “We are excited to bring this very important program to our community. The summer is coming up and with it, possible accidents, insect bites, drownings, etc., so it is more important than ever to train as many individuals in CPR and first aid as possible,” information from the coalition reads.
Rockdale County Will Soon Meet Its Goal to Install AEDs At County Facilities
CONYERS — A two-year effort by Rockdale County officials has increased the presence of automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, at county facilities. The effort will conclude by the end April with a total of 81 AEDs in operation at multiple county-owned sites in Rockdale County. Over the course of two years Rockdale County officials have used a combination of grants — twice with the Association County Commissioners of Georgia Civic Affairs Foundation and twice in partnership with the Hospital Authority of Rockdale County — to provide up to five AED units at each of its sites, according to Dan Morgan, director of Rockdale County Emergency Management Agency. A number of them can already be spotted on the county’s trail system and at outdoor parks. Additional purchases will include 19 inside units and 15 outside units. “Nineteen of them will be inside and 15 of them will be stationed outside of parks and recreation areas around the county,” Morgan said. “ Two of them will be mobile units for senior services so they can take them anytime they take the senior citizens on a bus trip.”
On March 27, 2023, the National Football League, along with major sports organizations and leading patient and health advocacy groups, announced the formation of The Smart Heart Sports Coalition, to advocate for all 50 states to adopt evidence-based policies that will prevent fatal outcomes from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) among high school students. The coalition is advocating for the implementation of three best practice policies to prevent death from Sudden Cardiac Arrest:
Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) for each high school athletic venue that are widely distributed, posted, rehearsed, and updated annually;
Clearly marked automated external defibrillator (AEDs) at each athletic venue or within 1-3 minutes of each venue where high school practices or competitions are held; and,
Did you catch something in the news related to resuscitation recently that you would like to see in this digest? Want to spotlight an event or activity aimed at improving cardiac arrest outcomes?
