Seasonal variation in sudden death in the Negev desert region of Israel.
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BACKGROUND: Previous studies have documented an increased incidence of cardiac mortality and sudden death during winter months. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate seasonal variation in sudden death in a hot climate such as the desert region of southern Israel. METHODS: We analyzed the files of 243 consecutive patients treated for out-of-hospital sudden death by the Beer Sheva Mobile Intensive Care Unit during 1989-90. Daily, monthly and seasonal incidence of sudden death was correlated with meteorological data, including temperature, heat stress, relative humidity and barometric pressure. RESULTS: The seasonal distribution of sudden death was 23% in spring, 21% in summer, 25% in autumn and 31% in winter (not significant). In patients with known heart disease there were more episodes of sudden death in cold weather (< 15.4 degrees C) than hot (> 34.2 degrees C) (16 vs. 3, P < 0.05). Resuscitation was less successful in cold compared with hot weather (28 vs. 11, P < 0.05). Of patients older than 65 years, 11 sustained sudden death when heat stress was below 12.4 degrees C compared to 2 patients when heat stress was above 27.5 degrees C (P = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Despite the warm desert climate, there were more cases of sudden death in older patients and in those with known heart disease during the winter season and on particularly cold days. (+info)
Microalbuminuria following anaphylaxis with general anaesthesia.
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Microalbuminuria is increasingly recognized as a marker of pathologies that cause acute systemic capillary leak. We report a case of an anaphylactic reaction to general anaesthesia involving cardiac arrest. In this case the urinary excretion of albumin following resuscitation suggests that severe anaphylaxis is another condition for which microalbuminuria is a sensitive monitor. (+info)
Intermediate coronary care. A controlled trial.
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A controlled trial of intermediate coronary care was carried out over a five-year period at a district general hospital. One thousand male patients under 65 were allocated at random into a group kept in the same ward as the coronary care unit (CCU) and a control group discharged from the CCU to a general medical ward. The intermediate care patients were nursed by the CCU staff, resuscitation equipment was immediately available and there was an efficient emergency call system. The mortality was the same in both groups and no more patients survived cardiac arrest to leave hospital in the intermediate care group than among the controls, though initial resuscitation was more often successful. The failure of intermediate coronary care was attributed to the rarity of primary ventricular fibrillation after discharge from the CCU. (+info)
Movement of criticall ill patients within hospital.
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Critically ill patients were observed during routine movement inside the hospital to and from the intensive therapy unit. One patient a month suffered major cardiorespiratory collapse or death as a direct result of movement. Renewed bleeding of a pelvic fracture, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac embarrassment due to a haemothorax, and cardiovascular decompensation were seen. It was difficult to continue treatment during movement, especially maintaining an airway or providing adequate intermittent positive pressure ventilation. Seventy postoperative patients suffered few ill effects on being moved. Greater awareness of the dangers of moving critically ill patients within hospital is needed. Thorough preparation for the move and adequate maintenance of treatment during movement requires the skill of experienced medical staff. (+info)
Experiences from treatment of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest during 17 years in Goteborg.
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AIMS: To describe changes in different factors at resuscitation and survival in a 17-year survey of patients suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. METHOD: The investigation was carried out in the community of Goteborg with 450 000 inhabitants during 1981-1997 on all patients suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in whom resuscitation was attempted. RESULTS: The number of cases per year, the proportion of witnessed arrests and the proportion of arrests of cardiac aetiology remained similar over time. There was an increase in median age from 68 to 73 years (P<0.0001), in the proportion of females from 27% to 33% (P=0.035) and in the proportion of patients receiving bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation from 14% to 28% (P<0.0001) with time. There was a shortening of the median interval from collapse until defibrillation from 9 min to 6 min (P<0.0001) over time but a decrease in the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation as the initially recorded arrhythmia from 39% to 32% (P=0.022). There was an increase in the proportion of patients having a bystander witnessed cardiac arrest of cardiac aetiology being hospitalized alive from 32% to 45% (P<0. 0001 for change over time). The proportion of patients discharged alive from hospital increased from 16% to 29% until 1993, but thereafter decreased to 13% in 1997 (P=0.002 for change over time). CONCLUSION: In a survey covering 17 years of resuscitation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients we found that the occurrence of ventricular fibrillation as the initially recorded arrhythmia decreased. There was an increase in age, in the proportion of females and in the use of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The interval between collapse and defibrillation was shortened. Survival changed over time with an increase until 1993 but with a decrease thereafter. (+info)
Randomized comparison of antiarrhythmic drug therapy with implantable defibrillators in patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest : the Cardiac Arrest Study Hamburg (CASH).
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BACKGROUND: We conducted a prospective, multicenter, randomized comparison of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) versus antiarrhythmic drug therapy in survivors of cardiac arrest secondary to documented ventricular arrhythmias. METHODS AND RESULTS: From 1987, eligible patients were randomized to an ICD, amiodarone, propafenone, or metoprolol (ICD versus antiarrhythmic agents randomization ratio 1:3). Assignment to propafenone was discontinued in March 1992, after an interim analysis conducted in 58 patients showed a 61% higher all-cause mortality rate than in 61 ICD patients during a follow-up of 11.3 months. The study continued to recruit 288 patients in the remaining 3 study groups; of these, 99 were assigned to ICDs, 92 to amiodarone, and 97 to metoprolol. The primary end point was all-cause mortality. The study was terminated in March 1998, when all patients had concluded a minimum 2-year follow-up. Over a mean follow-up of 57+/-34 months, the crude death rates were 36.4% (95% CI 26.9% to 46.6%) in the ICD and 44.4% (95% CI 37.2% to 51.8%) in the amiodarone/metoprolol arm. Overall survival was higher, though not significantly, in patients assigned to ICD than in those assigned to drug therapy (1-sided P=0.081, hazard ratio 0.766, [97.5% CI upper bound 1.112]). In ICD patients, the percent reductions in all-cause mortality were 41.9%, 39.3%, 28. 4%, 27.7%, 22.8%, 11.4%, 9.1%, 10.6%, and 24.7% at years 1 to 9 of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: During long-term follow-up of cardiac arrest survivors, therapy with an ICD is associated with a 23% (nonsignificant) reduction of all-cause mortality rates when compared with treatment with amiodarone/metoprolol. The benefit of ICD therapy is more evident during the first 5 years after the index event. (+info)
Intercalated clear cells or pale cells in the sinus node of canine hearts? An ultrastructural study.
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Two types of sinus nodal cells were responsible for the main differences in the literature concerning the ultrastructure of the sinuatrial node: the intercalated clear cells and pale cells. Canine hearts were arrested by (1) aortic cross clamping, (2) coronary perfusion with the cardioplegic solution St. Thomas, and (3) coronary perfusion with the cardioplegic solution HTK (Custodiol(R)). After fixation by immersion or perfusion the sinus node tissue was prepared for electron microscopy. Following cardioplegic arrest and perfusion fixation, three nodal cell types in the non-ischemic sinuatrial node were observed: typical nodal cells, transitional cells, and intercalated clear cells. Less than 1% of the non-ischemic sinuatrial cells were intercalated clear cells, surrounded by typical nodal cells or transitional cells. The contractile apparatus of the intercalated clear cells was extremely poorly developed. Great structural variations in the mitochondria were observed in intercalated clear cells, variations that would not appear under conditions of ischemia. In contrast, after 15-25 min of ischemia at 25 degrees C the appearance of the sinus nodal cells was strikingly different from that of the non-ischemic sinuatrial cells. More than 10% of the nodal cells showed typical ischemic alterations, e.g., mitochondrial swelling, clumping of nuclear chromatin, loss of glycogen particles, and cell swelling in varying degrees. Because they look very pale, these nodal cells have been described as pale cells in the literature. Intercalated clear cells appear mainly in non-ischemic nodal tissue. Pale cells are ischemically damaged sinus nodal cells. (+info)
Apolipoprotein E polymorphism: survival and neurological outcome after cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
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BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The apolipoprotein E 3/3 (apoE 3/3) genotype is associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and with a favorable neurological outcome after traumatic head injury. In vitro studies suggest that the most common genotype, apoE 3/3, may be involved in neuroprotective and neuroregenerative mechanisms. The aim of this study was to determine whether the apoE 3/3 genotype has an impact on survival and neurological outcome after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. METHODS: Eighty patients with cardiac arrest were investigated prospectively for their apoE genotype. Epidemiological data were assessed according to recommended guidelines. Patients were divided into 2 groups, ie, with the apoE 3/3 genotype present or absent, and tested for differences in survival and neurological outcome. Further statistical analysis with respect to survival and neurological outcome was performed by using a stepwise logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Patients with the apoE 3/3 genotype had a significantly higher survival rate (64% versus 33%, P:=0.007) and more often a favorable neurological outcome (55% versus 27%, P:=0. 013) compared with patients with other apoE genotypes. The apoE 3/3 genotype was shown to be a substantial predictive factor for a favorable neurological outcome (odds ratio 3.2) and was, apart from other essential factors, predictive for survival (odds ratio 4.4) after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. CONCLUSIONS: These data give evidence that patients with the apoE 3/3 genotype have a better chance of recovery after cardiopulmonary resuscitation than do patients with apoE genotypes other than 3/3. (+info)