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Issue #3: The Latest in Critical Care, 6/5/23

PulmCCM

Read in Journal of Critical Care ECMO vs CPR for pre-hospital resuscitation after cardiac arrest. There was no significant difference in survival with a favorable neurologic outcome at 30 days (20% vs 16% nominally favoring the ECMO group, P=0.52) or at 6 months. makes me long for an adequately powered randomized trial.

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SGEM#238: The Epi Don’t Work for OHCA

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

Case: A 51-year-old man experiences a cardiac arrest on the street. You are the first provider on scene with Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and start high-quality Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). A cardiac defibrillator is hooked up and the patient is in ventricular fibrillation. He is unsuccessfully shocked.

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SGEM#350: How Did I Get Epi Alone? Vasopressin and Methylprednisolone for In-Hospital Cardiac Arrests

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

You arrive and see that the Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) algorithm is being followed for adult cardiac arrest patients with pulseless electrical activity (PEA). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is in progress. Epinephrine is provided and you quickly place an advanced airway.