Biomedical subjects

S K Damon

Publications and source records attributed to S K Damon.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1990

Dangers of defibrillation: injuries to emergency personnel during patient resuscitation.

There have been no studies of the nature of defibrillatory shocks or risks to persons, providing them other than one individual case report and a number of incidental accounts. In this study, the severity and nature of injuries to prehospital emergency personnel in King County, Washington are reported. In addition, the types of injuries occurring to defibrillator operators throughout the United States, as voluntarily reported to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are described. In King County, prehospital emergency personnel reported eight accidental shocks. One individual was admitted to the hospital for 3 days and required lidocaine for premature ventricular contractions. Most injuries were the result of accidental contact with the patient rather than equipment failure, but the most serious case was caused by equipment failure. There were 13 injuries reported to the FDA over a 3 1/2-year period, and most injuries involved a mild shock or burn. Three patients were admitted to the hospital for observation. Two cases involved equipment failure. The rate of injury for paramedics was 1 per 1,700 defibrillatory shocks, and the rate of injury for emergency medical technician-defibrillator personnel was 1 per 1,000 defibrillatory shocks. These rates probably overestimate the real risk. Emphasis on safety and incorporation of safety procedures into resuscitation protocols can make the rate of injury even lower.

Allied Health Personnel↗

PubMed1989

Delay between onset of chest pain and seeking medical care: the effect of public education.

Thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is now routinely given in the emergency department and is being considered for pre-hospital care. Its effectiveness is dependent on how early it can be given after the onset of AMI. Maximal benefit, however, is not realized in many patients due to delay in seeking care. The effect of a public media education campaign (message) to shorten patient delay and increase use of emergency medical services (EMS) was evaluated prospectively in King County, Washington. We interviewed 401 patients admitted with possible AMI in the premessage period (4.5 months) and 489 in the postmessage period (4.5 months). The two groups were comparable in all factors except for discharge diagnosis of AMI (premessage, 34%; postmessage, 25%; P less than .01) and history of myocardial infarction or angina (premessage, 52%; postmessage, 43%; P less than .01). The proportion of patients who heard new information on AMI increased significantly in the postmessage period (premessage, 53%; postmessage, 74%; P less than .0001). The campaign, however, did not significantly shorten patient delay in seeking care (median delay: premessage, 2.6 hours; postmessage, 2.3 hours) or alter the distribution of patients in the less-than-two-hour, two-to-four-hour, and more-than-four-hour intervals. The rate of EMS use also was not significantly changed (premessage, 42%; postmessage, 44%). We conclude that a short-duration education campaign may increase AMI knowledge but does not seem to significantly alter patient behavior.

Emergencies↗

PubMed1989

Disagreeable physical characteristics affecting bystander CPR.

We determined the frequency of certain disagreeable physical characteristics (presence of vomitus, dentures, blood and/or alcohol on the breath) of a cardiac arrest patient and the effect these characteristics have on a bystander's willingness to perform CPR. Data were collected prospectively on 121 nontraumatic cardiac arrest patients, of whom 35 received bystander-initiated CPR involving a total of 42 bystanders. Seventy-one (59%) patients had one or more disagreeable characteristics identified. Forty (33%) patients vomited; 39 (33%) wore dentures; five (4%) had alcohol on their breath; and nine (7%) had visible blood. Of the 42 bystanders involved, 14 were exposed to one or more of the disagreeable characteristics. No bystander interviewed indicated hesitancy in performing CPR when encountering disagreeable characteristics. Seven bystanders stated they felt inadequately prepared to handle patients who vomited. Because of the high incidence of disagreeable characteristics, notably vomitus, in patients suffering a cardiac arrest, specific training in handling such characteristics seems justified.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Utilization of emergency medical services for symptoms of acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: To examine patient characteristics and situational and clinical factors that affect utilization of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for symptoms of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). DESIGN: Telephone interview of patients hospitalized with suspected AMI. SETTING: Nine hospitals in King County, Washington. PATIENTS: Patients admitted to a coronary or intensive care unit between October 1, 1986, and December 31, 1987, with suspected AMI occurring out of hospital. Spouses of patients who met criteria but died during the hospitalization also participated. OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient demographics, coping strategies, situational factors, prior cardiac history, perceived symptom severity, belief about the nature of condition, and method of transportation. RESULTS: Descriptive statistics showed that although few patients called EMS as a "first thing" in response to symptoms, almost half of all patients called EMS before being hospitalized. Stepwise logistic regression analyses revealed that being older, the belief that one was experiencing a heart attack, the presence of other people (including the spouse), and the lack of physical activity at time of symptom onset, were related to both greater and quicker utilization of EMS. Additionally, education, medical history of angina, and severity of symptoms also were related to utilization of EMS. CONCLUSION: The findings are discussed in a theoretical context, using Leventhal's self-regulatory model to suggest avenues for future research and interventions.

Adaptation, Psychological↗