Publications by authors named "K M Kiff"
We sought to remedy the limited guidance that is available to support the resuscitation of patients with the Impella Cardiac Power (CP) and 5.0 devices during episodes of cardiac arrest or life-threatening events that can result in haemodynamic decompensation. In a specialist tertiary referral centre we developed, by iteration, a novel resuscitation algorithm for Impella emergencies, which we validated through simulation and assessment by our multi- disciplinary team.
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- An implantable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is used in the UK mainly as a temporary solution for patients awaiting heart transplants or recovery.
- LVADs create a unique hemodynamic state, making standard measurements like blood pressure and pulse difficult to obtain, leading to challenges in patient assessment.
- To address these challenges, UK experts developed specific guidelines for managing emergencies in LVAD patients, aimed at healthcare providers in advanced heart failure centers, ensuring appropriate care during critical situations.
Article Synopsis
- Guidance on managing emergencies for LVAD patients is scarce and inconsistent, increasing the risk of inappropriate responses.
- A new resuscitation algorithm was created and validated through simulations, along with a Mechanical Life Support course aimed at boosting staff confidence and skills.
- After training, staff confidence in handling LVAD situations significantly improved, leading to faster and more effective resuscitation, including reduction in time to restart LVAD function from 49 seconds to about 20 seconds.
Discharge home from critical care: safety assessment in a resource constrained system.
J R Coll Physicians Edinb
March 2019
Background: High bed occupancy rates have delayed patient discharges from UK critical care units, especially in acute medical hospitals. As a result, more patients are discharged home directly from critical care (DH).
Methods: In this observational, retrospective study, we quantify the trends in DH from 2013 to 2018, and assess readmission rates and outcome in this group when compared to patients discharged from a ward, from 2014 to 2016.