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Background: Despite organised efforts, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the health status of the population and health services including the emergency medical system. The objective of the study was to investigate, based on the Emergency Medical Teams' (EMT) interventions, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and life emergencies resulting from illness cases and injuries of Polish females and males. Material and Methods: The data under analysis concern EMT interventions carried out in central and eastern Poland from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2022 (n = 226,038). The study used descriptive statistics, the Mann–Whitney U Test, and the Chi-square test. Results: A significant increase was observed in the proportion of EMT interventions (p < 0.001) to patients with illness cases (80.30% vs. 83.17%) and a decrease in interventions to patients with injuries (19.70% vs. 16.83%) during the pandemic as compared to the pre-pandemic period. As for illness cases, the patients' ages during both periods were similar (Me = 66.00 vs. 66.00, p = 0.071). On the other hand, during the pandemic, injuries mainly affected elderly patients as compared to the pre-pandemic period (Me = 50.00 vs. 47.00, p < 0.001). The increase in the proportion of EMT interventions to patients with illness cases and the decrease in patients with injuries during the pandemic, as compared to the pre-pandemic period, concerned the area of intervention, patient's sex, and age. During the pandemic period, a significantly lower proportion of patients transported to the hospital (p < 0.001) and an increase in the proportion of patients left at the place of call (p < 0.001) were noted. Conclusions: The restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus contributed to a reduced number of injuries without, however, reducing the number of illness cases. During the pandemic, the elderly were affected by injuries. The study indicates the need for further in-depth analyses to prepare the pre-hospital care system in Poland for the occurrence of other or similar emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the emergency medical system is to provide assistance to every person in a state in the event of a sudden threat to health and life. Emergency medical teams (EMTs) are an important element of this system, making diagnoses based on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). The study was aimed at analysing the causes of EMT intervention based on groups of diagnoses codified according to the ICD-10. The analysis was based on data from 116,278 EMT interventions in central-eastern Poland in 2017-2019. The research showed that EMT most often made diagnoses based on groups of ICD-10 codes: R00-R99-Symptoms, signs, and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified (39.11%); S00-T98-Injury, poisoning, and certain other consequences of external causes (18.23%); and I00-I99-Diseases of the circulatory system (15.57%). The analysis of the obtained results showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.0001) regarding the area of intervention (urban, rural), sex, age of the patient, and the method of completion of the activities by EMTs in relation to the group of ICD-10 diagnoses for the diagnosis. The conducted study showed the actual reasons for EMT calls. The use of the ICD-10 classification has practical application in EMTs, as it enables the identification of a disease or health problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Introduction: SCA is an unexpected, and potentially of reversible effect, in which occurs a cessation of hemodynamically heart beat as a pump, and cessation of cardiovascular circulation., Patients and Methods: Materials and methods: Our analysis is based on 1032 SCA occurrences where cardiopulmonary resuscitation have been applied. The analysis covers operating region of Siedlce Emergency Medical Services in years 2013-2016. The study is of retrospective nature. The analysis has been based on all cases of cardiac arrests. Successful rate of medical assistance at patients with SCA have been assessed., Results: Results: CPR have been applied 1032 times, out of which 45,3& of cases have resulted in spontaneous recovery of circulation, and in 54,7& such action have failed. however the efficiency of CPR applied K-2 call-outs was higher (p=0.016). It was noted that there was significantly higher (p = 0,010) number of interventions due to SCA with males (n = 744) than females (n = 288). Also, there was higher successful rate for SCA treatment with females than males. It was proven that the number of SCA have grown in line with an age, however successful rate of SCA treatment have been comparable among all age groups (p = 0,553). Most numerous group of patients with SCA have been 75 year old and above (n = 281). It was noted that significant factor in SCA and CPR successful treatment was the time of the day (p = 0,021). There was more SCA as well as successful CPRs before afternoon and afternoon in comparison with evening and night time. The time of arrival for Ambulance crews for patients with spontaneous was significantly shorter (p = 0,000) in comparison with patients who have failed to recover (on average 7,3± 5,96 vs. 9,8± 6,42 min). In rhythm to defibrilation or PEA, ROSC took place significantly more often than at patients with asystole (p = 0,000)., Conclusion: Conclusions: A successful resuscitation depends on the quality of emergency medical procedures performed at the place of incident. The highest probability of ROSC is related with defibrillation, intubation, the application of a respirator and performing mechanical ventilation, as well as shorter time from dispatch to arrival.