Do medications affect vital signs in the prehospital treatment of acute decompensated heart failure?
Albert Einstein School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA. ksporer@sfghed.ucsf.edu INTRODUCTION: Prehospital treatment of patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) has been shown to decrease mortality and morbidity. Vital sign changes have been proposed as clinical endpoints in the evaluation of prehospital treatment for this condition. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of prehospital treatments on vital signs among patients with ADHF. METHODS: Records of an urban emergency medical services system from September 1, 2002, through September 1, 2003, were queried for patients who had a paramedic impression of shortness of breath or respiratory distress and had received nitroglycerin and/or furosemide. Demographics, initial and repeat vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation), and medications and doses were collected. RESULTS: Three hundred nineteen patients were included; the average age was 77 (12) years and 47% were male. Treatments admini
