What percentages of patients are suitable for prehospital thrombolysis?. Issue 6 (19th May 2006)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Castle, N; Owen, R; Vincent, R; Ineson, N
• Is Part Of: Emergency medicine journal. Volume 23:Issue 6(2006)
• Page Start: 444
• Page End: 445
• Publication Date: 2006-05-19
• Subjects: bolus -- JRCALC -- prehospital -- thrombolysis; Emergency medicine -- Periodicals; 616.02505
• DOI: 10.1136/emj.2005.026450
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1472-0205

Abstract

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.