of Intramuscular Lidocaine in the Prehospital Setting for Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias Unassociated With Acute Myocardial Infarction Vh e "Shahal"*Experience in Israel)

We report on the experience accumulated by the sub- ical team to the patient was estimated to be at least 8 scribers of SHAHAL cardiac services who self-injected to10 minutes. Successful usage of the LidoPen was reintramuscular lidocaine (using an automatic injector ported in 137 cases (123 patients). An additional 11 “LidoPen”) for documented ventricular tachyarrhyth- patients failed to use the injector properly. There was a mias which were not associated with an acute myocar- success rate in abolishing rapid sustained ventricular dial infarction. SHAHAL provides professional care to its tachycardia (27 of 76 patients) and nonsustained vensubscribers who telephone a monitor center and de- tricular tachycardia and/or multiple and complex venscribe their symptoms, whereupon therapeutic measures tricular ectopic activity (8 of 30 patients) of 33% (total are decided upon. Patient data are stored in a central 35 of 106 patients). In another 9%, those arrhythmias computer, and the center can dispatch mobile intensive were slowed markedly. The remaining 31 cases were care units. All subscribers carry a portable transtele- eventually interpreted as being of supraventricular oriphonic electrocardiographic transmitter and are pro- gin. No complications attributed to the use of the injector vided with the LidoPen. Indications for self-injection were reported and its use was found to be both feasible were: transmission of a wide-QRS tachycardia (rate and effective in the prehospital setting. o 7 997