These experts reviewed 25 topics related to the acute initial management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), which was further categorized as unstable angina, non-ST-elevation MI (UA/NSTEMI) and ST-elevation MI (STEMI). Topics were identified based on previous recommendations, emerging science, and clinical importance, using an iterative writing process involving all Task Force members. The Task Force reviewed the evidence specifically related to diagnosis and treatment of ACS in the out-ofhospital setting and the first hours of care in the in-hospital setting, typically in the emergency department (ED). The evidence review took place over several years, with ongoing refinement of recommendations being made as new evidence was published. The purpose of the review was to generate current, evidence-based treatment recommendations for healthcare providers who serve as the initial point of contact for patients with signs and symptoms suggestive of ACS.The following is a summary of the most important changes in recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of ACS since the last ILCOR review in 2005. 1,2• The history and physical examination, initial ECG, and initial serum biomarkers, even when used in combination, cannot be used to reliably exclude ACS in the prehospital and ED settings.• In contrast, chest pain observation protocols are useful in identifying patients with suspected ACS and patients who require admission or may be referred for provocative testing for coronary artery disease (CAD) to identify reversible ischemia. Such strategies also reduce cost by reducing unnecessary hospital admissions and improve patient safety through more accurate identification of NSTEMI and STEMI.• The acquisition of a prehospital 12-lead ECG is essential for identification of STEMI patients before hospital arrival and should be used in conjunction with pre-arrival hospital notification and concurrent activation of the catheter laboratory.• Nonphysicians can be trained to independently interpret 12-lead ECGs for the purpose of identifying patients with STEMI, provided that appropriate and reliable STEMI criteria are used. This skill is of particular value in the prehospital setting where paramedics may independently identify STEMI, thus mitigating over-reliance on ECG transmission.• Computer-assisted ECG interpretation can be used to increase diagnostic accuracy of STEMI diagnosis when used alone or in combination with ECG interpretation by a trained healthcare provider.• STEMI systems of care can be implemented to improve the time to treatment. The following measures have been shown to reduce the time to primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI): institutional commitment, use of a team-based approach, arranging single-call activation of the catheterization laboratory by the emergency physician or prehospital provider, requiring the catheterization laboratory to be ready in 20 minutes, having an experienced cardiologist always available, and providing real-time data feedback.• Intravenous (IV) ␤-blockers should not be give...

Background-The combination of a single-bolus fibrinolytic and a low-molecular-weight heparin may facilitate prehospital reperfusion and further improve clinical outcome in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Methods and Results-In the prehospital setting, 1639 patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction were randomly assigned to treatment with tenecteplase and either (1) intravenous bolus of 30 mg enoxaparin (ENOX) followed by 1 mg/kg subcutaneously BID for a maximum of 7 days or (2) weight-adjusted unfractionated heparin (UFH) for 48 hours. The median treatment delay was 115 minutes after symptom onset (53% within 2 hours). ENOX tended to reduce the composite of 30-day mortality or in-hospital reinfarction, or in-hospital refractory ischemia to 14.2% versus 17.4% for UFH (Pϭ0.080), although there was no difference for this composite end point plus in-hospital intracranial hemorrhage or major bleeding (18.3% versus 20.3%, Pϭ0.30). Correspondingly, there were reductions in in-hospital reinfarction (3.5% versus 5.8%, Pϭ0.028) and refractory ischemia (4.4% versus 6.5%, Pϭ0.067) but increases in total stroke (2.9% versus 1.3%, Pϭ0.026) and intracranial hemorrhage (2.20% versus 0.97%, Pϭ0.047). The increase in intracranial hemorrhage was seen in patients Ͼ75 years of age. Conclusions-Prehospital fibrinolysis allows 53% of patients to receive reperfusion treatment within 2 hours after symptom onset. The combination of tenecteplase with ENOX reduces early ischemic events, but lower doses of ENOX need to be tested in elderly patients. At present, therefore, tenecteplase and UFH are recommended as the routine pharmacological reperfusion treatment in the prehospital setting.

No abstract

According to new data from the European vasopressin study, we suggest, first, the administration of 1 mg of epinephrine, followed alternately by 40 IU of vasopressin and 1 mg of epinephrine every 3 mins in adult cardiac arrest victims, regardless of the initial electrocardiographic rhythm.