How do Belgian mobile intensive care units deal with cardiovascular emergencies?
OBJECTIVE
To assess the availability and use of diagnostic tools, therapeutic equipment and drugs for the prehospital treatment of acute coronary syndromes, cardiopulmonary arrest and other cardiovascular emergencies in Belgian physician-staffed and hospital-based mobile intensive care units.


METHODS
In April 2001, a questionnaire was sent to all Belgian mobile intensive care unit centres.


RESULTS
The response rate was 90%. There was a 100% availability of many drugs and therapeutic equipment, with a well-established role in the care of cardiovascular emergencies: defibrillators, nitrates, epinephrine, atropine and diuretics. Important emergency drugs and tools were not ubiquitously available: external pacemakers (90%), aspirin (90%), bicarbonate (99%), amiodarone (87%), and intravenous beta-blockers (75%). Twelve-lead electrocardiogram recorders and thrombolytics had a rather low availability (46 and 20%, respectively) and were rarely used. There was a high availability of some drugs with limited data to support their use: oral calcium antagonists (61%), bretylium (65%) and isoproterenol (92%).


CONCLUSIONS
In Belgian mobile intensive care units the availability and use of technical and diagnostic equipment and cardiac drugs varied to an important extent. A local multidisciplinary evaluation may improve prehospital cardiovascular care by implementing current guidelines.
Heyse
Alex M
AM
Departments of Cardiovascular Diseases, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
Buylaert
Walter A
WA
Calle
Paul A
PA
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000552:Ambulances / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001530:Belgium; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents