Capno 101: What is Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome?
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by severe shortness of breath and a rapid heart rate, often accompanied by cough, fever, chest pain and bluish lips or fingernails caused by low O2 levels. ARDS can be triggered by direct injuries to the lung such as pneumonia, aspiration, smoke inhalation or blunt...
Capno 101: What is Opioid-induced Respiratory Depression?
Opioid-induced Respiratory Depression (OIRD), usually caused by opioid use or post-operative complications from anesthesia, occurs when the opioids desensitize the brain stem to rises in CO2, which can rapidly lead to full-blown respiratory failure. Given the growing number of 911 calls due to opioid abuse and subsequent respiratory...
Factors Associated with Misplaced Endotracheal Tubes During Intubation in Pediatric Patients
Abstract Background Correct positioning of the endotracheal tube (ETT) during emergent pediatric intubations can be challenging, and incorrect placement may be associated with higher rates of complications. Objectives The aims of this study are to: 1) assess the prevalence of clinically undetected misplaced ETTs after intubation in...
Quiz: Implications of Sepsis 3.0 for paramedics and prehospital care
By Sean Hulsman Early recognition and treatment of severe sepsis patients by paramedics may truly save lives. Read Sepsis 3.0: Implications for paramedics and prehospital care and take this quiz to test your knowledge of sepsis. About the Author: Sean Hulsman, MEd, EMT-P is Director of Education at Twin City...
It's All About the Breath: Respiratory Status and Capnography
From eupnea to dead in bed, the dyspneic patient will follow a predictable and progressive decline in their respiratory status if an appropriate assessment and treatment is not assertively initiated. Join us for this interactive discussion where we address respiratory distress, failure, and arrest and how capnography can aid in the...
Quiz: 5 Things to know about capnography
By Sean Hulsman EMS is constantly reaping the benefits of advances in technology. Pulse oximetry, 12-lead ECG, and even video laryngoscopes have found their way onto ambulances and have changed the practice of prehospital medicine. Capnography is another important advance, and a solid understanding of what it reveals about our...
Quiz: Drowning victim resuscitation and monitoring
By Sean Hulsman Among respiratory and cardiac arrest victims, drowning patients pose special challenges. Far from simple suffocation, the process of drowning results in several significant physiologic changes which EMS providers must deal with. Treating the drowning patient can be made easier with a functional understanding of the...
Airway management in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Finland: current practices and outcomes
Abstract Background: Though airway management methods during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remain controversial, no studies on the topic from Finland have examined adherence to OHCA recommendations in real life. In response, the aim of this study was to document the interventions, success rates, and adverse events in airway...
