Waveform capnography is considered the gold standard for verification of proper endotracheal tube placement, but current guidelines caution that it is unreliable in low-perfusion states such as cardiac arrest. Recent case reports found that long-deceased cadavers can produce capnographic waveforms. The purpose of this study was to...
Pulse oximetry, once the gold standard for monitoring patient ventilation in the field, has been replaced with capnography. Measurement of end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) is now the the top choice for determining airway patency and the pulmonary status of our patients. Read Use capnography to detect airway loss and more and take this quiz to test...
By Sean Hulsman
Airway control is a basic tenet of EMS care, but experienced providers know that controlling an airway is anything but basic. Difficult airways are encountered often, and the prehospital setting is rarely conducive to controlled airway management and proper patient positioning. Read Ventilating difficult airways in the...
By Sean Hulsman
Reported cases of anaphylaxis are on the rise according to the CDC. This is particularly worrisome for EMS because pediatric patients suffering anaphylaxis often present differently than adults and pose special problems for prehospital clinicians. Read Pediatric Anaphylaxis: How Capnography can help assessment and...
By Sean Hulsman
Asthma is a common disease that all EMS providers are familiar with. What we may not be familiar with are some of the minutiae of asthma diagnosis and treatment. Read EMS assessment and treatment of asthma: 5 Things paramedics need to know and take this quiz to test your knowledge.
About the author:
Sean...