CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION Flashcards
Common precipitants of cardiorespiratory arrest?
75% are cardiac:
Arrhythmia e.g. VF, PEA and asystole
Coronary artery abnormalities
MI
Myocardial hypertrophy e.g. HOCM
Valvular heart disease
Inflammatory heart diseases
Dilated cardiomyopathy
Inherited disorders e.g. brugada syndrome
HF
Congenital heart disease
25% respiratory
Airway obstruction e.g. Bronchospasm or severe asthma/COPD
PE
Respiratory muscle weakness e.g. due to spinal cord injury
Shockable and non-shockable rhythms
Shockable: pulseless VT, VF
Non-shockable: asystole, PEA
What is ROSC/
Return of Spontaneous circulation
How can cardiac arrests be prevented?
Healthy diet
Not smoking
Keeping bp healthy
Low alcohol
Healthy weight
Exercise
Optimisation of medical conditions
What is the chain of survival?
A series of action that, when properly executed, reduce the mortality associated with cardiac arrest
What are the 4 links in the chain of survival?
Early recognition and call for help
Early CPR
Early defibrillation
Early advanced cardiac life support
Where should a pt who has had a cardiac arrest be looked after in the hospital?
ICU or coronary care unit
Outline ALS first few steps before shock/meds?
Check its safe to approach
Check carotid pulse and look for breathing.if not…
CPR 30:2 attach defibrillator
Call resuscitation team!
Assess rhythm
What 3 factors in ALS are said to improve survival rates?
Performing high quality CPR, defibrillation asap and reducing hands off time to <5 seconds per cycle
What should you do in thr ALS scenario when you identify a pt with a shockable rhythm e.g. VF or pulseless VT?
Give 1 shock with minimum interruption
Immediately resume CPR for 2 minutes
Then assess rhythm again
Continue this until you have return of spontaneous circulation or you have given 3 shocks
Why is it important to have minimal time off the chest before giving a shock?
You want to keep the heart from dilating and this will make it mnore responsive to the shock
If the arrest team deliver 3 shocks to the pt and the pt is still in a shockable rhythm what drugs should be administered?
Adrenaline 1mg 1 in 10,000 ever 3-5 minutes
Amiodarone 300mg single dose
What drugs do you give in a non-shockable rhythm?
Adrenaline 1mg 1 in 10,000
What is adrenaline?
An endogenous catecholamine hormone and neurotransmitter in the sympathetic nervous system
Usually synthesised in the adrenal medulla .
Moa of adrenaline?
An alpha and beta adrenoreceptor agonist
In cardiac arrest…
Alpha 1 and 2 - vasoconstriction
Beta 1 - positive chronotropic and inotropic effects
Cautions for adrenaline?
IHD
cerebrovascular disease
Diabetes
Hypertension
Hyperthyroidism
Hypokalaemia
Hypertension
Palpitations
Tissue necrosis
Metabolic acidosis
Note: not applicable to emergencies as pt is already dead!