ERC - ALS Flashcards
What is a MET or RRT
medical emergency or rapid response team that responds to critically unwell patients in an attempt to reduce arrest cases
Syncope due to an arrhythmia is likely to present how
No prodrome
Can occur whilst supine or on exertion
What are the universal termination of resuscitation rules
Efforts to be terminated if no ROSC, no shocks administered, non EMS witnessed
You are in hospital and have a patient that is not breathing but you can feel a pulse, what do you do
Ventilate and check the circulation every 10 breaths to be sure there is still a pulse
Describe agonal breathing
Slow and laboured often with snoring and occasional gasps
Describe inspiratory time, volume and rate of ventilations given when performing in hospital CPR
1s per inspiration
Enough volume for normal chest rise (600-700ml)
10 breaths per minute
Once started, how much and how often is adrenaline given in an arrest
1mg (10ml 1:10,000) every 3-5 minutes (2 cycles)
When is adrenaline in cardiac arrest stopped
As soon as ROSC is suspected
Compare when adrenaline is started in VF/pVT and PEA/asystole
After the third shock for shockable
ASAP for non shockable
For what arrest rhythms is amiodarone given, at what dose and when
VF/pVT
300mg IV after 3rd shock
150mg IV after 5th shock
What is an acceptable alternative to amiodarone given to shockable rhythms in ALS
Lidocaine
What initial energy is used to shock someone in VF/pVT
At least 150J if used biphasic
120-150J is used pulsed biphasic
You don’t know which energy to use and there is no guidance on the defibrillator, what do you do
Use the highest energy possible
To escalate or not to escalate? (Defibrillation energy)
Escalate for failed shocks and refibrillation
You have shocked a patient, do you now pulse check? Why?
NO
Compressions won’t do any harm ie they won’t cause VF again
A pulse is unlikely to be palpable so soon after
Not starting compressions could further damage the myocardium
How soon after a peripheral injection does adrenaline exert it’s maximum benefit on coronary perfusion pressure
70 seconds
What is the role of compressions when there is a shockable rhythm
They increase oxygen delivery to the myocardium
Increase the amplitude and frequency of VF waveform
Increase chance of a shock working
What signs would indicate ROSC
Purposeful movements
Normal breathing and coughing
Raised ETCO2
You witness a patient go into VF/pVT on the monitor, in terms of CPR and shocks what do you do
3 shock strategy - give 3 successive shocks with a very quick rhythm check between each
Commence CPR after 3rd shock
A patient has had a 3 shock strategy and there is no ROSC, at what point do you give adrenaline
You treat the 3 shocks as the first. So give adrenaline after a further 2 shocks
A patient has had a 3 shock strategy and there is no ROSC, at what point do you give amiodarone
Give amiodarone after the 3rd shock regardless of whether or not they are stacked
You witness a patient go into VF/pVT on the monitor but there is no defib, what do you do?
Precordial thump
How would you perform a precordial thump
Take the ulnar edge of a clenched fist to the lower half of the sternum from a height of 2cm and retract first immediately
What is the relationship of CPR interruptions and coronary perfusion pressure
Less interruptions = high coronary perfusion pressure
State the advantages and disadvantages of using central access in ALS
+ve: quicker effect
-ve: pause compressions for insertion of a central line, increased risk of ADRs
Which IO location most closely resembles IV in terms of adrenaline pharmacokinetics on delivery
Sternum
Define PEA
Cardiac arrest in the presence of an electrical rhythm (aside from ventricular tachyarhthmias) that would normally give a palpable pulse
What is pseudo PEA
There is an element of myocardial contraction but it is too weak to produce any detectable pulse or BP
You think you see a very fine VF but it could be asystole - shock or CPR?
Continue with CPR, don’t defibrillate
Severe haemorrhage often leads to which rhythm
PEA
Preferred echo view (according to ERC) in cardiac arrest
Sub-xiphoid
Describe the limitations of the femoral and carotid pulse in an arrest
Femoral - could be venous (no valves between IVC and retrograde flow can seem like a pulse)
Carotid - doesn’t indicate adequate myocardial or cerebral perfusion
What is invasive arterial pressure monitoring used for in an arrest
Can detect even a very low BP signifying ROSC
What is ETCO2
The partial pressure of CO2 at the end of an exhaled breath
What does the ETCO2 value rely on
Pulmonary blood flow (which in turn relies on a CO)
Ventilation minute volume
What are the benefits of using ETCO2 in an arrest
Ensures tube placement
Avoids hyperventilation
Monitors compression quality
Identifies ROSC (preventing adrenaline being given to a ROSC patient)
You’ve been performing CPR for 20 minutes, what ETCO2 value indicates a poor prognosis
<1.33KPa (10mmHg)
Aim of defibrillation is
Restore spontaneous sychronised electrical activity
In which patients is ECPR likely to improve survival
Reversible cause
No comorbidities
Witnessed arrest with immediate high quality CPR
eCPR within 1hr
You are about to shock a patient and the O2 mask is 99cm away, is this ok?
Nope! All sources of O2 eg masks and nasal cannulae at least 1m away
Describe acceptable electrode pad positioning for VF
Sterno apical - R of sternum under clavicle and L mid axillary line
Bi-axillary - R and L lateral chest walls
Anterioposterior - L precordium and inferior to L scapula
L mid axillary line and R upper back
Describe electrode pad placement in atrial arrhythmias
Sterno apical - R of sternum below clavicle and L mid axillary
Anteroposterior - L precordium and inferior to L scapula
What energy should be used for shocking atrial arrhythmias
120-150J
Why might a high energy be needed to shock an asthmatic patient
Auto PEEP increased impedance
When timing shocks with ventilation, when should you shock and why
End of expiration as impedance is minimal
Define refibrillation
Recurrence of VF during a documented arrest in which VF has already been terminated
The patient remains with the same providers
Define refractory VF
Fibrillation that persists after one or more shocks
You become aware that a patient you are about to shock has an ICD/pacemaker. Where should the electrodes be placed?
8cm away from device or antero-lateral or anterio-posterior
What does synchronisation mean in terms of electrical cardioversion
Shock is synchronised with the R wave
What could happen if a shock isn’t synchronised to the R wave
If given during T wave (relative refractory period) then VF may occur
Which rhythms require shock synchronisation and which don’t
Synchronised: atrial and ventricular tachyarrhythmias
Unsynchronised: VF or pVT
State the initial energy given for AF, flutter, SVT and VT
Flutter and SVT: 70-120J biphasic
Fibrillation and VT: 120-150J biphasic
Where is an ICD placed
Under the pectoral muscle below the left clavicle
What does an ICD do
On detecting a shockable rhythm it will deploy 40J of energy via a wire in the RV no more than 8 times
How can you stop an ICD
Place a magnet over it
Describe see-saw breathing
Paradoxical movement of the chest and abdomen in a patient making respiratory effort against an obstructed airway
What are the anatomical landmarks used to size an OPA
Incisors to angle of jaw
An NPA size corresponds to what
It’s internal diameter