Does cooling during cardiac arrest improve outcomes, or simply lower temperature? This 2014 appraisal examines a small randomised trial of intra-arrest hypothermia, questioning patient selection, statistical power and surrogate outcomes, while separating the cooling headlines around London’s ‘cool car’ from its broader package of advanced resuscitation care.
JC: Getting Chilly Quickly 3. Hypothermia at St.Emlyn’s Read More
Could analysis of the ventricular fibrillation waveform help decide when to defibrillate? This 2014 appraisal examines a randomised trial in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest that found no improvement in survival, considering the study’s limitations and the gap between a plausible technology and demonstrated patient benefit.
JC: Does wave form analysis improve outcome in VF arrest? St.Emlyn’s Read More
Does the precordial thump deliver the dramatic benefit its image suggests? This 2013 journal club examines Australian cardiac-arrest registry data, considering rhythm deterioration, the small number of treated patients and the limitations of using observational records to judge an intervention.
JC: There’s no jump with a precordial thump. St.Emlyn’s Read More
What did the original trial comparing temperature targets of 33°C and 36°C after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest establish? This 2013 appraisal explores sample size, uncertainty and the distinction between failing to detect a difference and demonstrating equivalence, placing the debate in its historical research context.
JC: What’s the target temperature for OOHCA cooling. St.Emlyn’s Read More
Should cooling begin during cardiac arrest rather than after circulation returns? This 2012 discussion explores the rationale for intra-arrest hypothermia, the limited human and animal evidence then available, and the author’s argument for trying an earlier approach despite that uncertainty.
Getting Chilly Quickly 2…. Early hypothermia for ROSC? Read More
Does reaching hypothermia sooner after cardiac arrest improve outcomes? This 2012 journal club examines an observational study of cooling times, using its results to explain relative risk, absolute risk and number needed to treat while questioning whether confounding could explain the apparent benefit of later cooling.
Getting Chilly Quickly at St.Emlyn’s Read More
What can the capnography trace tell a resuscitation team beyond airway position? This 2012 reflection explores its use in assessing compressions, recognising possible return of circulation and informing difficult decisions, while emphasising the limitations of interpreting end-tidal carbon dioxide in isolation.
ALS: Airway, Breathing, Capnography??? Read More
