Out-of-hospital pulmonary edema: diagnosis and treatment. Ann Emerg Med 1983 Sep;12(9):533-7
Date
09/01/1983Pubmed ID
6614605DOI
10.1016/s0196-0644(83)80291-1Scopus ID
2-s2.0-0020636219 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 20 CitationsAbstract
Sixty-two patients diagnosed by paramedics as having acute cardiac pulmonary edema out of the hospital were studied. The paramedic prehospital diagnosis as confirmed by an emergency physician, chest film, and hospital admission evaluation was correct in 55 of 62 patients (89%). In the group with acute cardiac pulmonary edema, 64% demonstrated cardiac dysrhythmias, including cardiac arrest, prior to the patient's hospitalization. Therapy administered by the paramedics was beneficial in that most patients had improved on arrival at the hospital. Six of the 10 patients (60%) sustaining cardiac arrest were successfully resuscitated. Acute cardiac pulmonary edema occurring outside the hospital is commonly associated with significant complications, including life-threatening arrhythmias. Well-trained paramedics are capable of quickly diagnosing and treating acute cardiac pulmonary edema outside the hospital setting.
Author List
Tresch DD, Dabrowski RC, Fioretti GP, Darin JC, Brooks HLMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultAged
Allied Health Personnel
Emergency Medical Services
Evaluation Studies as Topic
Female
Heart Arrest
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Pulmonary Edema
Resuscitation
Time Factors
