CPR Flashcards
What do the RECOVER guidelines cover?
All important factors to be considered when carrying out CPR, such as:
How to assess the patient
How to perform effective CPR
How to communicate effectively
How to identify ROSC
How often do RECOVER recommend CPR drills to be carried out?
Every 3-6 months or whenever a new team member joins
As per the VMD, what is not allowed in a crash box?
Pre-drawn drugs
Controlled drugs
What are the 6 H’s that can predispose a patient to CPA?
Hypovolaemia
Hypoxia
Hydrogen ions (acidosis)
Hypokalaemia/Hyperkalaemia
Hypothermia
Hypoglycaemia
What are the 5 T’s that can predispose a patient to CPA?
Tamponade (cardiac)
Toxins
Trauma
Tension pneumothorax
Thrombosis
Name some warning signs of impending CPA
Change in heart rate or rhythm i.e. bradycardia
Decreasing responsiveness
Weakening pulses
Abnormal breathing patterns such as Cheyne-Stokes respiration
Regardless of the situation or staffing levels, what is the main priority for a patient with CPA?
Prompt re-establishment of a circulation through chest compressions
What are the three steps if there is suspected cardiac or respiratory arrest whilst the patient is under anaesthesia?
Call for assistance
Note time
Turn off anaesthetic agent
How does patient size affect where CPR takes place?
Small patients, if feasible, can be transported to the ‘arrest station’ as CPR effort continues
Large/anaesthatised patients should have CPR completed where they are, with any necessary people/equipment brought to them
In a large practice, name examples of places where crash boxes should be stored
Theatre
Prep
Kennels
In accordance with the CPR initial assessment algorithm, if a patient is found collapsed in a kennel, what should be done to determine if CPR is necessary?
Call for help
Stimulate patient vigorously (shake and shout)
If not response, determine if patient is breathing
If a patient is apnoeic and only one rescuer is available to initiate BLS, what should they do?
Evaluate patients airways, ensure is clear of obvious obstructions
Do not delay compressions
Why is it inadvisable to assess femoral pulse if CPA is suspected? and what should the rescuer do?
Can be unreliable and wastes time
If CPA suspected, patient not breathing and airway is clear then CPR should be started
At what ratio should compressions to ventilation be for a single-rescuer BLS?
30 compressions : 2 breaths
During single rescuer BLS, when would the cycle of 30:2 be ended?
Additional rescuers arrive
ROSC
Resuscitation efforts terminated
If CPA is suspected, and the patient is not intubated, how should ventilation be provided?
Tight fitting mask with oxygen if available
What would be considered a risk to a rescuer when completed mouth-to-nose ventilation?
Zoonotic disease
Narcotic overdose
What should be done if mouth-to-nose ventilation is the only option during CPA and there is a present risk to the rescuer?
Only chest compressions should be performed, no ventilation
In what position should the patients head and neck be when providing rescue breath? and why?
With patients head and neck in alignment with the spine to avoid obstructing the airway
If an obvious upper airway obstruction is identified and cannot be removed, what other method can be used to establish an airway?
Tracheostomy
If intubated, how many breaths should a patient be given during CPR every minute?
10 per minute i.e. 1 breath delivered every 6 second
How long should inspiration and expiration last during CPR ventilation?
Inspiration - 1 second
Expiration - 5 seconds
Who is often the CPR leader and why?
The Veterinary Surgeon due to the need to prescribe drugs throughout the arrest period
Name 5 roles that can be assigned during multi-rescuer CPR
Leader
Compressor
Ventilator
Assistant
Scribe
Describe the role of the compressor
Deliver uninterrupted high-quality chest compressions for two minutes
This is a rotating role with compressors swapping every two minutes to avoid fatigue and delivery of poor quality compressions
Describe the role of the ventilator
Responsible for initially managing the patient’s airway (ensuring airway clear and placing ETT)
May also be responsible for attaching capnograph is not already completed by assistant
Describe the role of the assistant during CPR
Attaching monitoring equipment (ECG/capnograph)
Securing IV access
Drawing up/administering drugs
Preparing defibrillator if needed
Describe the role of scribe during CPR
Timing the arrest
Record when and what drugs +/- defibrillation dose is administered
Alert the team at end of 2-minute cycles
Describe closed-loop communication
Message (instruction or information) is sent (often by leader) to the whole team or individual. Individuals receiving message repeat it back to ensure message has been understood. The sender then confirms they have heard the repeated message which then completes the loop
Explain why closed-loop communication is recommended during the arrest period
To ensure effective team communication
Ensures everyone is clear on what is required and helping to avoid mistakes i.e. drug doses
What is the main priority if a patient developed RA but CA has not yet developed?
Airway management and ventilation
Describe cardiac pump theory
Direct external compression of the ventricles results in forward blood flow
Describe the thoracic pump theory
Changes in intrathoracic pressure during compressions generate blood flow i..e external chest compressions over the widest part of the thorax lead to increased overall intrathoracic pressure which forces blood from the thoracic vessels into the circulation
What is the recommended compression rate during CPR?
100-120/minute
By how much is the stroke volume reduced during CPR in comparison to the normal heartbeat?
20%
Why do compressions need to performed at a higher rate than a patients normal heart rate?
Due to a 20% reduction in stroke volume
Why would a rate exceeding 120 compressions/minute not be beneficial during CPR?
Reduces effectiveness of compressions
It would prevent full recoil of the thorax leading to decreased cardiac filling and therefore a reduced stroke volume
Why should a fatigued compressor be changed, even if a 2 minute cycle has not been completed?
The compressions could be ineffective despite an adequate rate
What happens to the stroke volume if compressions are stopped?
Drops to almost zero
What is the maximum time that a compression pause should last for?
10 seconds
Describe how ECG evaluation should be carried out, considering the short compression pause
The ECG should be viewed during the pause, each member shouts their interpretation and then it is discussed during the next cycle of compressions
Describe the necessary form of the compressor during medium-giant breed CPR
Should lock elbows in extension and their wrists through flexion
Shoulders should be positioned vertically
Abdominal core muscles should be used to perform compressions whilst keeping elbows locked
Describe the method of providing compressions to medium-giant breed keel chested dogs
Heels of compressors hands should overlap, with heel of hand in contact with the chest over the compression point
Fingers may be interlaced or held together but should NOT fan out across the thorax
The compression point is directly over the dog’s heart
Cardiac pump theory
Where is a dog’s heart located in lateral recumbency?
Humerus is rotated caudally so that caudal point of elbow lies approximately one-third of the distance between the sternum and the spine
The heart lies under the point of the elbow in this position
Describe the method of providing compressions in round-chested medium to giant breed dogs
Compressors overlapping hands should be placed with heels over the widest part of the thorax
Thoracic pump theory
Describe the method of providing compressions in barrel-chested medium to giant breed dogs
If the patient is stable in dorsal recumbency, the compressors overlapping hands should be placed with the heels over the mid-sternum
Describe the circumferential method of providing chest compressions to cats and small dogs
two-thumb technique compresses the heart between the thumbs and the opposing flat fingers of the ipsilateral hands
Describe the one-handed technique of providing chest compressions to a cats and small dogs
Compress the heart between thumb and flat fingers of the dominant hand which is wrapped around he sternal portion of the thorax whilst the non-dominant hand braces the dorsal thorax
Describe the one-handed heel technique of providing chest compressions to cats and small dogs
Compresses the heart under the heel of the dominant hand while the non-dominant hand braces the dorsal thorax