Archive for April2009

Prehospital ECGs and STEMI Receiving Centers
April 25, 2009 | ems-topics, patient-management | Tom Bouthillet | 6 Comments

An important paper has been published that deserves to be read in its entirety. Rokos IC, French WF, Koenig WJ, et al. Integration of pre-hospital electrocardiograms and ST-elevation myocardial infarction receiving center (SRC) networks: Impact on door-to-balloon times across 10 independent regions. J Am Coll Cardiol Cardiovasc Intervent 2009; 2:339-346 Here are some highlights: “There […]

Things that make you go hmmm
April 24, 2009 | ems-topics | Tom Bouthillet | 8 Comments

It seems incredible that we can email a photograph around the world, but we haven't yet found an easy way of transmitting an ECG to a nearby hospital. – Ivan Rokos, MD to heartwire [1] Question: What's the incentive for industry to invent a simple, cost effective method for transmitting the prehospital 12 lead ECG […]

Dr. Rokos and Dr. Gibson discuss prehospital STEMI activation pathways
April 23, 2009 | Uncategorized | Tom Bouthillet | 2 Comments
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I don’t know how I missed this, but click here (no longer active) to see a discussion between Dr. Rokos and Dr. Gibson regarding prehospital 12 lead ECGs. This was from LUMEN 2009.

Top 10 myths about prehospital 12 lead ECGs
April 21, 2009 | ems-topics, patient-management | Tom Bouthillet | 6 Comments

A recent thread at JEMS Connect has reminded me how many myths are circulating about prehospital 12 lead ECGs. 1.) If you’re close to the hospital, performing a prehospital 12-lead ECG is a waste of precious time. The prehospital 12-lead ECG is an important triage tool. The closest hospital is not necessarily the closest appropriate […]

New interpretive statement on the Lifepak 15
April 20, 2009 | Uncategorized | Tom Bouthillet | 2 Comments
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I couldn’t help but notice that in Physio-Control’s new video the LP15 says ***MEETS ST ELEVATION MI CRITERIA*** and not ***ACUTE MI SUSPECTED***. Interesting! The Lifepak 15 uses the Glasgow algorithm, not the GE-Marquette 12SL Interpretive Algorithm.

Recurrent syncope and bifascicular block
April 3, 2009 | ems-topics, patient-management | Tom Bouthillet | 12 Comments
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You are dispatched to an “unknown medical complaint.” En route to the scene, dispatch advises you that a 66 year old male is complaining of a fall with injury, chest pain, left arm pain, and nausea. On arrival, the patient is standing in his kitchen. He is pale and extremely diaphoretic. You direct him to […]