Improving Time to Defibrillation Following Ventricular Tachycardia (VTach) and Ventricular Fibrillation (VFib) Cardiac Arrest: A Multicenter Retrospective and Prospective Quality Improvement Study.

The goal of this study was to identify how often 2 independent centers defibrillated patients within the American Heart Association recommended 2-minute time interval following ventricular fibrillation/ventricular tachycardia arrest. A retrospective chart review revealed significant delays in defibrillation. Simulation sessions and modules were implemented to train nursing staff in a single nursing unit at a Philadelphia teaching hospital. Recruited nurses completed a code blue simulation session to establish a baseline time to defibrillation. They were then given 2 weeks to complete an online educational module. Upon completion, they participated in a second set of simulation sessions to assess improvement. First round simulations resulted in 33% with delayed defibrillation and 27% no defibrillation. Following the module, 77% of the second round of simulations ended in timely defibrillation, a statistically significant improvement ( P < 0.00001). Next steps involve prospective collection of the code blue data to analyze improvement in real code blue events.

Frequency of Statin Prescription Among Individuals with Coronary Artery Calcifications Detected Through Lung Cancer Screening.

Individuals eligible for lung cancer screening (LCS) are at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) due to smoking history. Coronary artery calcifications (CAC), a common incidental finding on low-dose CT (LDCT) for LCS, is a predictor of cardiovascular events. Despite findings of high ASCVD risk and CAC, a substantial proportion of LCS patients are not prescribed primary preventive statin therapy for ASCVD. We assessed the frequency of statin prescription in LCS patients with moderate levels of CAC. Among 259 individuals with moderate CAC, 95% had ASCVD risk ≥ 7.5%. Despite this, 27% of patients were statin-free prior to LDCT and 21.2% remained statin-free after LDCT showing moderate CAC. Illustratively, while a substantial proportion of LCS patients are statin-eligible, many lack a statin prescription, even after findings of CAC burden. CAC reporting should be standardized, and interdisciplinary communication should be optimized to ensure that LCS patients are placed on appropriate preventive therapy.

Potential clinical impact of reporting breast arterial calcifications on screening mammograms in women without known coronary artery disease.

Cardiovascular disease remains a leading cause of death in women. 10-year likelihood for a cardiovascular event is determined by the American College of Cardiology Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular disease risk score calculator (ASVCD); however, this does not encompass risk factors unique to women. Breast arterial calcifications (BAC) detected on screening mammography may serve as a proxy for coronary atherosclerosis (CAC) in women. Our purpose was to investigate the correlation between BAC and CAC on imaging in women without a diagnosis of atherosclerosis to determine the potential clinical impact. Retrospective review was performed on a cohort of females evaluated by internists at our institution in 2019. Study patients had a screening mammogram within 1 year of a noncardiac chest CT. Clinical data were collected to determine ASCVD risk score. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of BAC in detecting CAC were determined. 222 women met inclusion criteria, ranging from 41 to 77 years of age, among which 25% (56/222) had BAC. 84% (47/56) of women with BAC had CAC on CT, yielding a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 51%, 93%, 84%, and 72%, respectively. Of the 47 patients who had both BAC and CAC, 66% had an unknown or low-to-borderline ASCVD score. Women with BACs have a high specificity for CAC. The reporting of BACs should prompt clinicians to risk stratify women for atherosclerotic disease. These women may otherwise be undetected by conventional risk calculators.

Update on medical management of acute hip fracture.

Morbidity and mortality rates associated with acute hip fracture remain high. Over the past decade, the management of hip fracture has shifted to emphasize prompt surgical treatment, multimodal analgesia to reduce opioid use, and incorporation of enhanced recovery pathways. Preoperative evaluation focuses on acutely correctable problems, with the understanding that delaying surgery may worsen the outcome. Prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism, treatment of preoperative anemia and acute kidney injury, and cardiac stabilization are important measures to reduce morbidity. Multimodal analgesia incorporating regional anesthesia techniques may help prevent delirium and facilitate early participation in physical therapy to reduce complications.

Effect on nurse and patient experience: overnight use of blue-depleted illumination.

BACKGROUND: Typical hospital lighting is rich in blue-wavelength emission, which can create unwanted circadian disruption in patients when exposed at night. Despite a growing body of evidence regarding the effects of poor sleep on health outcomes, physiologically neutral technologies have not been widely implemented in the US healthcare system. OBJECTIVE: The authors sought to determine if rechargeable, proximity-sensing, blue-depleted lighting pods that provide wireless task lighting can make overnight hospital care more efficient for providers and less disruptive to patients. DESIGN: Non-randomised, controlled interventional trial in an intermediate-acuity unit at a large urban medical centre. METHODS: Night-time healthcare providers abstained from turning on overhead patient room lighting in favour of a physiologically neutral lighting device. 33 nurses caring for patients on that unit were surveyed after each shift. 21 patients were evaluated after two nights with standard-of-care light and after two nights with lighting intervention. RESULTS: Providers reported a satisfaction score of 8 out of 10, with 82% responding that the lighting pods provided adequate lighting for overnight care tasks. Among patients, a median 2-point improvement on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was reported. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: The authors noted improved caregiver satisfaction and decreased patient anxiety by using a blue-depleted automated task-lighting alternative to overhead room lights. Larger studies are needed to determine the impact of these lighting devices on sleep measures and patient health outcomes like delirium. With the shift to patient-centred financial incentives and emphasis on patient experience, this study points to the feasibility of a physiologically targeted solution for overnight task lighting in healthcare environments.