Cardiac Resuscitation

Sudden cardiac death, whether in the hospital or out of the hospital, is a leading cause of death. Early recognition and activation of an emergency response, following the “chain of survival”, is critical. High quality Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) should be initiated as soon as possible. Rescue breaths can be added when a qualified medical professional is available. Once emergency medical services personnel arrive for an out of hospital cardiac arrest or the “code team” arrives for an in hospital cardiac arrest, the Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) algorithm should be followed. For patients with pulseless ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, early defibrillation improves the chances for restoration of spontaneous circulation and survival. The use of vasopressors and anti-arrhythmics are part of the protocol, though the benefits are unclear. Once trained airway providers are available, placement of an advanced airway, either supraglottic or endotracheal, can be considered after several minutes of CPR-ACLS, though optimal timing and clear benefit have not been established. For patients who remain comatose after resuscitation, initiation of Targeted Temperature Management can improve outcomes. Neuroprognostication is complex and should be delayed for at least 3-5 days after resuscitation and should be based upon multiple sources of information. This review contains 1 figure, 5 tables, and 44 references. Keywords: Cardiac arrest, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, anti-arrhythmics, airway management, targeted temperature management, prognostication