New Study, Don't delay Defib for CPR

[ArcticKat]

More is not necessarily better when paramedics give cardiac arrest patients CPR before administering shocks to the heart, a new study finds.

On the contrary, providing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) for a longer period of time could actually harm certain patients.

http://health.usnews.com/health-new...pr-backfires-for-certain-heart-patients-study

 

[jjesusfreak01]

I think often defib delays harm the patients because some people don't know how to do quality CPR. Sure, your CPR may be useless for some bariatric patients, and i'm not in favor of delaying shocking at all, but I wouldn't delay CPR either.

 

[medicsb]

Not really all that surprising, really. The group that was harmed was the one that DID receive bystander CPR and then 3 minutes of CPR from EMS. The other arm of the study was 30-60 seconds of CPR prior to defib. So, in all, they still recommend CPR prior to defib, just 30-60 seconds instead of 180.

Interesting, too, was the mention in the article about publication of a study showing the ITD to have no benefit. Can't say I'm surprised that this gadget doesn't make up for poor CPR. Again, if some systems with the best outcomes attain those outcomes without gadgets such as automated CPR devices and ITDs, then maybe other systems should start with improved training, con-ed, and improvements in response to cardiac arrest before purchasing silly gadgets and expecting them to do the job for you.

 

[LondonMedic]

3 minutes in the absence of bystander CPR and one minute (or less!) in the presence of. Hardly revolutionary.

 

[traumaluv2011]

The brain starts to be severely damaged after 4-6 minutes without oxygen. Organs probably start dying before then, no?

I imagine if you get on scene and nobody is doing CPR have your partner start CPR while you get out the AED.

 

[LondonMedic]

The brain starts to be severely damaged after 4-6 minutes without oxygen. Organs probably start dying before then, no?

I imagine if you get on scene and nobody is doing CPR have your partner start CPR while you get out the AED.

The idea behind the 3 minute of CPR prior to defibrillation is that it should provide some oxygenated blood to the corries which should make defibrillation more likely to be successful.

 

[medicsb]

The brain starts to be severely damaged after 4-6 minutes without oxygen. Organs probably start dying before then, no?

Actually, your organs take longer to die. Muscle and connective tissue can take hours to die. Myocardium is around 20-30 minutes. Renal tubules clock in around 30 min.

 

[jjesusfreak01]

Brain goes first.