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In this paper, Krahn et al, from a Canadian consortium, report on the results of systematic evaluations in patients with unexplained cardiac arrest due to ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation.
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The concept of abandoning the use of whole blood in favor of packed cells for the treatment of hypovolemia in obstetric hemorrhage should be questioned in view of this study's suggestion of a lower rate of acute tubular necrosis in patients treated with whole blood.
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In January 2009, the publication of an updated vancomycin monitoring guideline gave clinicians a set of recommendations on: 1) timing of monitoring, 2) optimal trough concentration, 3) dosing to achieve optimal trough concentrations, 4) loading doses for complicated infections, 5) criteria for monitoring, and 6) frequency of monitoring.
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Initiation of a respiratory therapist-driven protocol for assessment and management of risk for respiratory complications in the study hospital's neurosurgery step-down, trauma/surgery step-down, and trauma/surgery general units was followed by an increase in the number of patients receiving respiratory treatments, but decreases in ICU and hospital stays and overall hospital costs.
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This meta-analysis of 12 clinical trials in adult patients with acute respiratory failure showed that extubation directly to non-invasive ventilation before weaning would normally have been attempted decreases mortality, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and length of stay especially for patients with COPD.
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Patients who receive proton-pump inhibitors in the hospital are at increased risk for hospital-acquired pneumonia.
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This paper describes the results of an epidemiologic survey of the results of in-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in U.S. hospitals.
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Although still controversial, pooling of data from randomized trials suggests the neuroprotective benefit of magnesium sulfate in patients in preterm labor prior to 34 weeks of gestation.
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The role of intensive antiplatelet therapy for prevention of vascular events in patients with atrial fibrillation remains controversial. The Atrial Fibrillation Clopidogrel Trial with Irbesartan for Prevention of Vascular Events (ACTIVE) trio of studies is an attempt to clarify this issue.
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A randomized study of treatment of septic arthritis in children 3 months to 15 years of age demonstrated that 10 days of treatment, with an initial 2-4 days intravenously followed by oral therapy, was sufficient for most cases, regardless of the infecting pathogen or site of infection.
