Effectiveness of Prehospital Administration of Antibiotics for Instances of Severe Sepsis
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Chemistry, Physics, Geology, & the Environment
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Jason Hurlbert
Abstract
Prehospital intervention for conditions with high mortality such as acute coronary syndrome (ACS), myocardial infarctions (MI), and strokes (CVA) has greatly improved patient care and ultimately patient outcomes. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition with a reported mortality higher than that those of MI and CVA. Current guidelines do little to suggest a universal approach to prehospital treatment and evaluation of potentially septic patients. This review of current published research aims to investigate potential determinants for septic diagnosis and determine optimal prehosital treatment protocols. The best diagnostic measurement available to EMS personnel is a serum lactate concentration determination. Following diagnosis, the current formalized treatment protocol for sepsis is fluid resuscitation and supplemental oxygenation. THis review has found that early initiation of antibiotic treatment is an important factor in determining patient outcomes which suggests that prehospital use of antibiotics would prove beneficial to diagnosed septic patients. With an increasing number of patients using emergency medical services (EMS) for medical transportation it is a viable option for EMS personnel to begin antibiotic therapy having had proper education for both evaluation and subsequent treatment of patients prior to hospital admission. This review identifies both the benefits and concerns of prehospital usage of antibiotics in addition to identifying the problems of ineffective diagnostic education regarding sepsis received by EMS personnel.
Honors Thesis Committee
Jason Hurlbert, Ph.D.; Victoria Frost, Ph.D.; Meir Barak, Ph.D., D.V.M.
Start Date
22-4-2016 2:45 PM
End Date
22-4-2016 3:00 PM
Effectiveness of Prehospital Administration of Antibiotics for Instances of Severe Sepsis
West Center, Room 217
Prehospital intervention for conditions with high mortality such as acute coronary syndrome (ACS), myocardial infarctions (MI), and strokes (CVA) has greatly improved patient care and ultimately patient outcomes. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition with a reported mortality higher than that those of MI and CVA. Current guidelines do little to suggest a universal approach to prehospital treatment and evaluation of potentially septic patients. This review of current published research aims to investigate potential determinants for septic diagnosis and determine optimal prehosital treatment protocols. The best diagnostic measurement available to EMS personnel is a serum lactate concentration determination. Following diagnosis, the current formalized treatment protocol for sepsis is fluid resuscitation and supplemental oxygenation. THis review has found that early initiation of antibiotic treatment is an important factor in determining patient outcomes which suggests that prehospital use of antibiotics would prove beneficial to diagnosed septic patients. With an increasing number of patients using emergency medical services (EMS) for medical transportation it is a viable option for EMS personnel to begin antibiotic therapy having had proper education for both evaluation and subsequent treatment of patients prior to hospital admission. This review identifies both the benefits and concerns of prehospital usage of antibiotics in addition to identifying the problems of ineffective diagnostic education regarding sepsis received by EMS personnel.
