What is the most appropriate age to be directly involved in patient care?

Pre-Med & Medical School Careers in Medicine
4

<p>

</p>

<p>ACLS is straightforward and easily tested. ACLS is, however, only somewhat effective for out of hospital patients. ACLS is even less effective for in-hospital arrests due to greater prevalence of comorbid conditions.</p>

<p>This review article quotes optimistic survival rates: <a href=“http://pdm.medicine.wisc.edu/bissell.htm[/url]”>http://pdm.medicine.wisc.edu/bissell.htm&lt;/a&gt;. This abstract reports survival rates for out of hospital cardiac arrest of 1.4%: <a href=“http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/271/9/678[/url]”>http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/271/9/678&lt;/a&gt;. Note that ACLS protocols cover a variety of clinical scenarios.</p>

<p>The science of ACLS protocols has been questioned. For many years, no outcomes data existed to support any ACLS intervention other than doing BLS and giving a vasoconstrictor. Pharmaceutical interventions were, at best, based on animal models, and, at worst, conjecture. A review of the pharmaceutical protocol history is educational.</p>