UMEM Educational Pearls

What Matters in Cardiac Arrest?

  • Approximately 500,000 adults suffer sudden cardiac arrest each year in the United States.
  • The most important components of cardiac arrest care that have been shown to improve outcomes are:
    1. High-quality CPR with little to no interruptions
    2. Defibrillation for ventricular arrhythmias
    3. Optimal post-arrest care
      • Target an SpO2 of 94-98%
      • Target an ETCO2 of 35-40 mm Hg (PaCO2 of 40-45 mm Hg)
      • Targeted temperature management
      • Early cardiac catheterization

References

Jentzer JC, et al. Improving survival from cardiac arrest: A review of contemporary practice and challenges. Ann Emerg Med. 2016. [epub ahead of print]