Cardiac Arrest Flashcards
What are the four types of cardiac arrest?
Ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, asystole and pulseless electrical activity
What are the characteristics of VF
Irregular chaotic baseline with very broad QRS waveforms, patients are pulseless. (ECG looks like a messy line)
VT characteristics are?
Regular, broad QRS, may have a pulse
Asystole characteristics are?
Baseline with low grade fluctuation (if at all), no pulse
PEA characteristics are?
A sinus rhythm that would be expected to produce sufficient CO but there is no pulse
What clinical features diagnose cardiac arrest?
Loss of consciousness, no pulse in the carotid, no/minimal respiratory effort
What is the first step of management?
ABC assesment and BLS
Who should you call?
The resus team
Which rhythms are shockable?
VF and pulseless VT
What rhythms aren’t shockable?
Asystole, VT with pulse, PEA
What drug is given to all patients and how often is it given?
Adrenaline every 3-5mins
What other drugs might you give?
Atropine (inhibits parasymp) and amiodarone (esp for ventricular arrythmias)
If patient stabilises what should you do next?
Send to HDU, do a full examination, FBC, U+E, ABG, CEs, lipids, glucose and an ECG
Definition of cardiac arrest is?
Sudden loss of cardiac output with loss of consciousness
