Proportion of out of hospital adult non traumatic cardiac arrest presenting as a convulsion

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_1A4F89BD2651
Type
Inproceedings: an article in a conference proceedings.
Publication sub-type
Poster: Summary – with images – on one page of the results of a researche project. The summaries of the poster must be entered in "Abstract" and not "Poster".
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Proportion of out of hospital adult non traumatic cardiac arrest presenting as a convulsion
Title of the conference
Gemeinsame Jahrestagung Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Intensivmedizin, Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Pulmonale Hypertonie, Gesellschaft für klinische Ernährung der Schweiz, Schweizerische Gesellschaft für Notfall- und Rettungsmedizin, Schweizerische Interessengemeinschaft für Intensivpflege, Gast: Schweizerische Interessengemeinschaft Notfallpflege
Author(s)
Dami F., Hugli O., Fuchs V.
Address
Interlaken, Schweiz, 8.-10. September 2011
ISBN
1424-4985
ISSN-L
1424-4977
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2011
Volume
11
Series
Swiss Medical Forum
Pages
17S
Language
english
Abstract
Introduction: The majority of convulsions are due to an epilepticseizure or a convulsive syncope. In some cases, this is the firstsymptom of an out of hospital cardiac arrest (OH-CA).Objective: This study was aimed to measure the proportion of adultnon traumatic OH-CA presenting as a convulsion.Methodology: We prospectively collected all incoming calls with anout-of-hospital non traumatic seizure as the chief complaint in patients>18 years during a 24-months period. Among these calls, we collectedcases identified as OH-CA by paramedics.Results: During the 24-months period, the EMS dispatch centerreceived 561 calls for an out-of-hospital non traumatic convulsion in anadult. Twelve cases were ultimately classified as CA. In this group, onebystander spontaneously reported that the patient was known forepilepsy. The incidence of OH-CA presenting as convulsions wastherefore 2.1% of all calls for convulsion. Over the same period, theEMS dispatch center received 1035 calls related to an adult nontraumatic OH-CA. Therefore the rate of OH-CA presenting as aconvulsion represented 1.2% of all adult non traumatic OH-CA.Conclusion: Only 12 cases out of the 531 calls for non traumatic adultconvulsions were confirmed OH-CA (2.1%). Nevertheless, this unusualpresentation of OH-CA must be recognized by dispatchers, even whena patient is reported by bystander as a known epileptic. Dispatchersshould keep bystanders on line or call them back before paramedics'arrival, and have them confirm the progressive return of a normalpattern of breathing and state of consciousness; if not, they shouldencourage when necessary bystander to initiate CPR. For dispatchers,a past medical history of epilepsy should not be regarded as sufficientinformation to rule-out OH-CA. It is mandatory that known epilepticpatients should be monitored in the same way as non-epileptic patients.
Create date
19/01/2012 14:58
Last modification date
20/08/2019 12:51
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