The aim of this study was to analyze congestive heart failure (CHF) discharges in Florida (USA) post tropical cyclones from 2007 through 2017.

This was a retrospective longitudinal time series analysis of hospital CHF quarterly discharges across Florida using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) database. The autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was used with correlated seasonal regressor variables such as cyclone frequency, maximum cyclone wind speed, average temperature, and reports of influenza-like illness (ILI).

A total of 3,372,993 patients were identified, with average age in each quarter ranging 72.2 to 73.9 years and overall mortality ranging 4.3% to 6.4%. The CHF discharges within each year peaked from October through December and nadired from April through June with an increasing overall time trend. Significant correlation was found between CHF discharge and the average temperature (P <.001), with approximately 331.8 less CHF discharges (SE = 91.7) per degree of increase in temperature. However, no significant correlation was found between CHF discharges and frequency of cyclones, the maximum wind speed, and reported ILI.

This study suggests that with the current methods and the HCUP dataset, there is no significant increase in overall CHF discharges in Florida as a result of recent previous cyclone occurrences.

The study describes the implementation of a prehospital treatment algorithm that included intravenous (IV) bolus (IVB) nitroglycerin (NTG) followed by maintenance infusion for the treatment of acute pulmonary edema (APE) in a single, high-volume Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system.

This is a retrospective chart review of patients who received IVB NTG for APE in a large EMS system in Minnesota and Wisconsin (USA). Inclusion criteria for treatment included a diagnosis of APE, systolic blood pressure ≥120mmHg, and oxygen saturation (SpO2) ≤93% following 800mcg of sublingual NTG. Patients received a 400mcg IVB of NTG, repeated every two minutes as needed, and subsequent infusion at 80mcg/min for transport times ≥10 minutes.

Forty-four patients were treated with IVB NTG. The median total bolus dose was 400mcg. Twenty patients were treated with NTG infusion following IVB NTG. The median infusion rate was 80mcg/min. For all patients, the initial median blood pressure was 191/113mmHg. Five minutes following IVB NTG, it was 160/94mmHg, and on arrival to the emergency department (ED) it was 152/90mmHg. Five minutes after the initial dose of IVB NTG, median SpO2 increased to 92% from an initial reading of 88% and was 94% at hospital arrival. One episode of transient hypotension occurred during EMS transport.

Patients treated with IVB NTG for APE had reduction in blood pressure and improvement in SpO2 compared to their original presentation. Prehospital treatment of APE with IVB appears to be feasible and safe. A randomized trial is needed to confirm these findings.

The incidence of heart failure is increasing within the Fontan population. The use of serological markers, including B-type natriuretic peptide, has been limited in this patient population.

This was a single-centre retrospective study of Fontan patients in acute decompensated heart failure. Fontan patients underwent a 1:2 match with non-Fontan patients for each heart failure hospitalisation for comparative analysis. A univariate logistic regression model was used to assess associations between laboratory and echocardiographic markers and a prolonged length of stay of 7 days or greater.

B-type natriuretic peptide levels were significantly lower in Fontan patients admitted for heart failure than that in non-Fontan patients [390.9 (±378.7) pg/ml versus 1245.6 (±1160.7) pg/ml, respectively, p < 0.0001] and were higher in Fontan patients with systemic ventricular systolic or diastolic dysfunction than that in Fontan patients with normal systemic ventricular function [833.6 (±1547.2) pg/ml versus 138.6 (±134.0) pg/ml, p = 0.017]. The change from the last known outpatient value was smaller in Fontan patients in comparison with non-Fontan patients [65.7 (±185.7) pg/ml versus 1638.0 (±1444.7) pg/ml, respectively, p < 0.0001]. Low haemoglobin and high blood urea nitrogen levels were associated with a prolonged length of stay.

B-type natriuretic peptide levels do not accurately reflect decompensated heart failure in Fontan patients when compared to non-Fontan heart failure patients and should, therefore, be used with caution in this patient population.

Frequent calls to 911 and requests for emergency services by individuals place a costly burden on emergency response systems and emergency departments (EDs) in the United States. Many of the calls by these individuals are non-emergent exacerbations of chronic conditions and could be treated more effectively and cost efficiently through another health care service. Mobile integrated community health (MICH) programs present a possible partial solution to the over-utilization of emergency services by addressing factors which contribute to a patient’s likelihood of frequent Emergency Medical Services (EMS) use. To provide effective care to eligible individuals, MICH providers must have a working understanding of the common conditions they will encounter.

The purpose of this descriptive study was to evaluate the diagnosis prevalence and comorbidity among participants in the Queen Anne’s County (Maryland USA) MICH Program. This fundamental knowledge of the most common medical conditions within the MICH Program will inform future mobile integrated health programs and providers.

This study examined preliminary data from the MICH Program, as well as 2017 Maryland census data. It involved secondary analysis of de-identified patient records and descriptive statistical analysis of the disease prevalence, degree of comorbidity, insurance coverage, and demographic characteristics among 97 program participants. Diagnoses were grouped by their ICD-9 classification codes to determine the most common categories of medical conditions. Multiple linear regression models and chi-squared tests were used to assess the association between age, sex, race, ICD-9 diagnosis groups, and comorbidity among program enrollees.

Results indicated the most prevalent diagnoses included hypertension, high cholesterol, esophageal reflux, and diabetes mellitus. Additionally, 94.85% of MICH patients were comorbid; the number of comorbidities per patient ranged from one to 13 conditions, with a mean of 5.88 diagnoses per patient (SD=2.74).

Overall, patients in the MICH Program are decidedly medically complex and may be well-suited to additional community intervention to better manage their many conditions. The potential for MICH programs to simultaneously improve patient outcomes and reduce health care costs by expanding into larger public health and addressing the needs of the most vulnerable citizens warrants further study.

ScharfBM, BissellRA, TrevittJL, JenkinsJL.Diagnosis Prevalence and Comorbidity in a Population of Mobile Integrated Community Health Care PatientsPrehosp Disaster Med. 2019;34(1):46–55.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) improves outcomes in patients with respiratory distress. Additional benefits are seen with CPAP application in the prehospital setting. Theoretical safety concerns regarding Basic Life Support (BLS) providers using CPAP exist. In Delaware’s (USA) two-tiered Emergency Medical Service (EMS) system, BLS often arrives before Advanced Life Support (ALS).

This study fills a gap in literature by evaluating the safety of CPAP applied by BLS prior to ALS arrival.

This was a retrospective, observational study using Quality Assurance (QA) data collected from October 2009 through December 2012 throughout a state BLS CPAP pilot program; CPAP training was provided to BLS providers prior to participation. Collected data include pulse-oximetry (spO2), respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), skin color, and Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) before and after CPAP application. Pre-CPAP and post-CPAP values were compared using McNemar’s and t-tests. Advanced practitioners evaluated whether CPAP was correctly applied and monitored and whether the patient condition was “improved,” “unchanged,” or “worsened.”

Seventy-four patients received CPAP by BLS; CPAP was correctly indicated and applied for all 74 patients. Respiratory status and CPAP were appropriately monitored and documented in the majority of cases (98.6%). A total of 89.2% of patients improved and 4.1% worsened; CPAP significantly reduced the proportion of patients with SpO2<92%, RR>24, and cyanosis (P<.01). The GCS improved from mean (standard deviation [SD]) 13.9 (SD=1.9) to 14.1 (SD=1.9) after CPAP (mean difference [MD]=0.17; 95% CI, -0.49 to 0.83; P=.59). The HR decreased from 115.7 (SD=53) to 105.1 (SD=37) after CPAP (MD=-10.9; 95% CI, -3.2 to -18.6; P<.01). The SpO2 increased from 80.8% (SD=11.4) to 96.9% (SD=4.2) after CPAP (MD=17.8; 95% CI, 14.2-21.5; P<.01).

The BLS providers were able to determine patients for whom CPAP was indicated, to apply it correctly, and to appropriately monitor the status of these patients. The majority of patients who received CPAP by BLS providers had improvement in their clinical status and vital signs. The findings suggest that CPAP can be safely used by BLS providers with appropriate training.

SahuN, MatthewsP, GronerK, PapasMA, MegargelR. Observational Study on Safety of Prehospital BLS CPAP in Dyspnea. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(6):610–614.

We describe an exemplary case of congestive heart failure (CHF) symptoms controlled with milrinone. We also analyze the benefits and risks of milrinone administration in an unmonitored setting.

We describe the case of a patient with refractory leukemia and end-stage CHF who developed severe dyspnea after discontinuation of milrinone. At that point, despite starting opioids, she had been severely dyspneic and anxious, requiring admission to the palliative care unit (PCU) for symptom control. After negotiation with hospital administrators, milrinone was administered in an unmonitored setting such as the PCU. A multidisciplinary team approach was also provided.

Milrinone produced a dramatic improvement in the patient's symptom scores and performance status. The patient was eventually discharged to home hospice on a milrinone infusion with excellent symptom control.

This case suggests that milrinone may be of benefit for short-term inpatient administration for dyspnea management, even in unmonitored settings and consequently during hospice in do-not-resuscitate (DNR) patients. This strategy may reduce costs and readmissions to the hospital related to end-stage CHF.

High-dose intravenous nitroglycerin is a common in-hospital treatment for respiratory distress due to congestive heart failure (CHF) with hypertension. Intravenous (IV) nitroglycerin administration is impractical in the prehospital setting. In 2011, a new regional Emergency Medical Services (EMS) protocol was introduced allowing advanced providers to treat CHF with high-dose oral nitroglycerin. The protocol calls for patients to be treated with two sublingual tabs (0.8 mg) when systolic blood pressure (SBP) was >160 mm Hg, or three sublingual tabs (1.2 mg) when SBP was >200 mm Hg, every five minutes as needed.

To assess the protocol's safety, the incidence of hypotension following prehospital administration of multiple simultaneous nitroglycerin (MSN) tabs by EMS providers was studied.

This study was a retrospective cohort study of patients from a single commercial EMS agency over a 6-month period. Records from patients with at least one administration of MSN were reviewed. For each administration, the first documented vital signs pre- and post-administration were compared. Administrations were excluded if pre- or post-administration vital signs were missing.

One hundred case-patients had at least one MSN administration by an advanced provider during the study period. Twenty-five case-patients were excluded due to incomplete vital signs. Seventy-five case-patients with 95 individual MSN administrations were included for analysis. There were 65 administrations of two tabs, 29 administrations of three tabs, and one administration of four tabs. The mean change in SBP following MSN was -14.7 mm Hg (SD = 30.7; range, +59 to -132). Three administrations had documented systolic hypotension in the post-administration vital signs (97/71, 78/50 and 66/47). All three patients were over 65 years old, were administered two tabs, had documented improved respiratory status, and had repeat SBP of at least 100. The incidence of hypotension following MSN administration was 3.2%.

High-dose oral nitroglycerin administration is a practical alternative to IV nitroglycerin in the prehospital setting when administered by advanced providers. The prehospital protocol for high dose oral nitroglycerin was demonstrated to be safe in the cohort of patients studied. Limitations of the study include the relatively small sample size and the inability to identify hypotension that may have occurred following the cessation of data collection in the field.

Hypotension was rare and self-limited in prehospital patients receiving MSN.

ClemencyB, ThompsonJ, TundoG, LindstromH. Prehospital High-dose Sublingual Nitroglycerin Rarely Causes Hypotension. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28(5):1-4.