POCUS in Prehospital Cardiac Arrest: Enhancing Decision-Making and Diagnostic Accuracy
Westersund, Sebastian (2024)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024052013334
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2024052013334
Tiivistelmä
This thesis investigates the integration of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) into prehospital emergency care, specifically analyzing its impact on decision-making processes during out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) By employing a scoping review methodology, this research highlights the practical applications of POCUS and its capability to provide real-time diagnostic information, crucial for rapid decision-making in critical care scenarios.
The findings suggest that POCUS enhances diagnostic accuracy and facilitates the identification of reversible causes of cardiac arrest, such as pericardial effusion and tension pneumothorax thereby potentially increasing the efficacy of interventions. Despite the positive indications, the research also noticed a significant gap in empirical evidence linking the use of POCUS to improved long-term patient outcomes. This thesis argues for the necessity of more extensive, outcome-focused research to establish a clearer understanding of POCUS's impact on survival rates in OHCA scenarios.
The findings suggest that POCUS enhances diagnostic accuracy and facilitates the identification of reversible causes of cardiac arrest, such as pericardial effusion and tension pneumothorax thereby potentially increasing the efficacy of interventions. Despite the positive indications, the research also noticed a significant gap in empirical evidence linking the use of POCUS to improved long-term patient outcomes. This thesis argues for the necessity of more extensive, outcome-focused research to establish a clearer understanding of POCUS's impact on survival rates in OHCA scenarios.