14 NEWS
14 NEWS
13 SEPTEMBER 2024 ausdoc . com . au
Doctor saves stranger from danger
Carmel Sparke DR Rhys Ross-Browne had just got home from school drop-off when an alert sounded on his smartphone that would send him scrambling back out the door to help save a stranger ’ s life .
It was not an alert from the local hospital but an app that he had registered with that sends volunteers alerts to incidents requiring CPR .
“ I was on my day off , having a coffee , checking a few emails ,” Dr Ross- Browne recalls .
“ It was for someone about a kilometre away , right near the kids ’ school , so I accepted the alert and jumped in the car and got down there .”
The ED doctor , based at Campbelltown Hospital in Sydney , says it was a pretty nervous drive .
“ I think I may have squashed a few of the plants on the edge of my driveway as I left . You just do not know what you are going to find .”
On pulling up at the address listed on the app , he found a young man in the house performing CPR on his father , who had gone into cardiac arrest .
“ He told me he was so happy to see his grandkids grow up and , you know , to have another chance .
“ Really , that came down to Liam initiating excellent-quality CPR and the fact that we could continue it and had access to a defibrillator early .”
Dr Ross-Browne said it was different responding to an emergency in the community as he was without his usual ED team , equipment , familiar environment and protocols .
“ Emergency medicine is really all about the team and working together .
It is very different from doing it in someone ’ s living room .”
He encouraged other doctors to sign up to the app as they may one day help save a life .
The NSW Government claims that 30 people have been saved through the app since it was launched last year .
“ It is just the best feeling to know that you have been there for someone when they needed it ,” he said .
“ I think it is an experience that will stay with me forever .”
Age & Comorbidities
ADVERTORIAL funded by MSD
Clinical factors to consider when prescribing an oral antiviral for COVID-19
Liam ( left ) and Steven Simpson .
Age is the single biggest risk factor for COVID-19 death and hospitalisation . 1 According to the ABS data ( March 2020 – January 2024 ), out of the 17,276 total deaths due to COVID-19 during that period : 1
~ 9 / 10 of those deaths were in people aged ≥ 70 years . 1
Dr Rhys Ross- Browne .
It turned out Liam Simpson had phoned triple zero and the paramedics had then called on the GoodSAM app for any assistance that could be closer at hand .
“ He was surprised to see a random guy he had never seen before , not in any uniform , walk through the front door ,” Dr Ross-Browne says .
“ And I was also nervous going into a strange house to say , ‘ Hey , I am here to help out .’”
Liam was doing high-quality CPR on his father , Steven Simpson , but was exhausted and could not go on much longer , so Dr Ross-Browne took over .
Dr Ross-Browne realised there was a good chance his kids ’ school down the road would have a defibrillator . So he called ahead and sent Liam to collect the equipment .
When Liam arrived at the school , he was breathless and would have struggled to get the defibrillator to his dad , so staff ran it to his home .
Dr Ross-Browne continued CPR and delivered a couple of shocks . By the time the paramedics arrived , Steven Simpson had returned to normal rhythm and was regaining consciousness .
He required a few more shocks from the paramedics , who took him to Campbelltown Hospital .
Dr Ross-Browne says he later visited Mr Simpson and was relieved to see him sitting up in bed with his wife by his side .
“ It was an unforgettable experience , having last seen him on the floor of his living room looking like he was not going to survive .
Medications
Other
Comorbidities also increase risk of COVID-19 death and hospitalisation . 1
82 % of the COVID-19 related deaths from the ABS data were in patients with a pre-existing chronic condition . 1
Of these , the top 5 pre-existing chronic conditions were chronic cardiac conditions ( 39 %), dementia ( 30 %), chronic respiratory conditions ( 18 %), neoplasms including cancer ( 17 %) and diabetes ( 15 %). 1
Older patients often live with a range of chronic conditions , which may need pharmaceutical treatment . 2 , 3
50 %
ABS = Australian Bureau of Statistics
of Australians aged ≥65 years live with 2 or more comorbidities , according to 2022 ABS data . 2
People who take certain medications may be at increased risk of potential drug-drug interactions . 3 , 4 Clinicians should review relevant Product Information and consult the Liverpool Drug Interaction checker . 5
This may include patient ’ s renal and hepatic function , pregnancy status and previous hospitalisation due to COVID-19 . 6-9
Don ’ t wait for symptoms to progress . Start oral antiviral treatment within 5 days of symptom onset . 6 , 7
PBS information : Authority required ( STREAMLINED ): LAGEVRIO must be for use when nirmatrelvir (&) ritonavir is contraindicated . 9 The contraindications to nirmatrelvir (&) ritonavir can be found using the Liverpool COVID-19 Drug interaction checker or the TGAapproved Product Information for nirmatrelvir (&) ritonavir . 5 , 6 , 9 Visit www . pbs . gov . au for more information .