Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ECPR) for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest due to Pulseless Ventricular Tachycardia/Fibrillation.

Background: Survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest are very low and neurologic recovery is poor. Innovative strategies have been developed to improve outcomes. A collaborative extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) program for out-of-hospital refractory pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT) and/or ventricular fibrillation (VF) has been developed between The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Columbus Division of Fire.

Annotated Guidance and Recommendations for the Role and Actions of Emergency Medical Services Systems in the Current Opioid and Drug-Related Epidemics.

Background: The U.S. and worldwide death toll from opioids and other drugs has accelerated, rivaling all other causes of premature death.

The Effect of Ambulance Staffing Models in a Metropolitan, Fire-Based EMS System.

Unlabelled: Introduction The staffing of ambulances with different levels of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) providers is a difficult decision with evidence being mixed on the benefit of each model. Hypothesis/Problem The objective of this study was to describe a pilot program evaluating alternative staffing on two ambulances utilizing the paramedic-basic (PB) model (staffed with one paramedic and one emergency medical technician[EMT]).

Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted from September 17, 2013 through December 31, 2013.

Use of double sequential external defibrillation for refractory ventricular fibrillation during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Introduction: Survival from out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is highest in victims with shockable rhythms when early CPR and rapid defibrillation are provided. However, a subset of individuals present with ventricular fibrillation (VF) that does not respond to defibrillation (refractory VF). One intervention that may be a possible option in refractory VF is double sequential external defibrillation (DSD).

Clinical Outcomes in Cardiac Arrest Patients Following Prehospital Treatment with Therapeutic Hypothermia.

Introduction: Recent studies have brought to question the efficacy of the use of prehospital therapeutic hypothermia for victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Though guidelines recommend therapeutic hypothermia as a critical link in the chain of survival, the safety of this intervention, with the possibility of minimal treatment benefit, becomes important. Hypothesis/Problem This study examined prehospital therapeutic hypothermia for OHCA, its association with survival, and its complication profile in a large, metropolitan, fire-based Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system, where bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and post-arrest care are in the process of being optimized.

On the same page: making transitions between EMS & urgent care centers smooth.

Medic 25 is called to a local urgent care center to a chief complaint of a possible heart attack at 8:45 p.m. On their way there, one of the medics tells his partner they've been getting multiple calls to this facility at about the same time each evening, so they can "unload" their patients before it closes at 9 p.

Impact of the 2005 American Heart Association cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care guidelines on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survival.

Objective: To describe changes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA) survival before and after the release of the 2005 American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency cardiovascular care (ECC).

Methods: Data were extracted from an OOHCA registry for 1,681 adult cases of cardiac arrest treated by one emergency medical services (EMS) system between April 1, 2004, and December 31, 2007, in a large city (2005 population 730,657). The primary endpoint was survival to hospital discharge.