Status asthmaticus in the medical intensive care unit: a 30-year experience.

Objectives: To investigate the characteristics, trends in management (permissive hypercapnia; mechanical ventilation (MV); neuromuscular blockade) and their impact on complications and outcomes in Status Asthmaticus (SA).

Methods: We performed a retrospective observational study of subjects admitted with SA to a single multidisciplinary MICU over a 30-year period. All laboratory, radiologic, respiratory care, physician notes and orders were extracted from an electronic medical record (EMR) maintained during the entire duration of the study.

Ways to improve outcome after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. How to monitor patients, correct dysrhythmias.

Noninvasive monitoring techniques for assessing circulation during CPR include thoracic electrical bioimpedance and measurement of end-tidal carbon dioxide. Many dysrhythmias can be corrected with portable devices, such as automatic external defibrillation pacers, or with automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillators or external transcutaneous cardiac pacers. Bradycardia is treated, however, only if it is accompanied by hemodynamically significant hypotension or ventricular ectopy.