Castle N, Owen R, Vincent R, Ineson N. What percentages of patients are suitable for prehospital thrombolysis?
Emerg Med J 2006;
23:444-5. [PMID:
16714504 PMCID:
PMC2564339 DOI:
10.1136/emj.2005.026450]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
To apply the Joint Royal College Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC) checklist to patients who were deemed eligible for thrombolytic therapy on arrival in an Accident & Emergency Department (A&E) to determine the proportion suitable for prehospital thrombolysis.
DESIGN
Retrospective descriptive analysis.
METHODS
The clinical notes of all patients thrombolysed in an A&E department in a year were reviewed against the JRCALC guidelines for prehospital thrombolysis.
RESULTS
14.2% of patients eligible for thrombolysis in a district general hospital were deemed suitable for prehospital thrombolysis according to the JRCALC criteria. The most common exclusion criteria were hyper/hypotension (50%), onset of symptoms (pain) >6 h previously (41.7%), or age >75 years (37%). Two or more contraindications to prehospital thrombolysis were present in 63.9% of patients.
CONCLUSION
The JRCALC guidelines are an effective tool for identifying patients with potential contraindications to thrombolysis.
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