Guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether end-tidal CO2-guided chest compression delivery improves survival over standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation after prolonged asphyxial arrest. DESIGN: Preclinical randomized controlled study. SETTING: University animal research laboratory. SUBJECTS: 1-2-week-old swine. INTERVENTIONS: After undergoing a 20-minute asphyxial arrest, animals received either standard or end-tidal CO2-guided cardiopulmonary resuscitation...

BACKGROUND: Research has shown that increased breathing frequency during cardiopulmonary resuscitation is inversely correlated with systolic blood pressure. Rescuers often hyperventilate during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Current American Heart Association advanced cardiac life support recommends a ventilation rate of 8 -10 breaths/min. We hypothesized that a small, turbine-driven ventilator would allow rescuers to adhere more closely to advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) guidelines...

OBJECTIVE: The role of supraglottic airway devices in emergency airway management is highlighted in international airway management guidelines. We evaluated the application of the new generation laryngeal tube suction (LTS-II/LTS-D) in the management of in-hospital unexpected difficult airway and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. METHODS: During a seven-year period, patients treated with a laryngeal tube who received routine anesthesia and had an unexpected difficult airway (Cormack Lehane Grade 3-4), who underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or who underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation outside the operating room and had a difficult airway were evaluated...

Despite improving survival rates for pediatric cardiac arrest victims, they remain strikingly low. Evidence for pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation is limited with many areas of ongoing controversy. The American Heart Association provides updated guidelines for life support based on comprehensive reviews of evidence-based recommendations and expert opinions. This facilitates the translation of scientific discoveries into daily patient care, and familiarization with these guidelines by health care providers and educators will facilitate the widespread, consistent, and effective care for patients...

AIM: High-quality chest compressions are a critical component of the resuscitation of patients in cardiopulmonary arrest. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is used frequently during emergency department (ED) resuscitations, but there has been limited research assessing its benefits and harms during the delivery of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). We hypothesized that use of POCUS during cardiac arrest resuscitation adversely affects high-quality CPR by lengthening the duration of pulse checks beyond the current cardiopulmonary resuscitation guidelines recommendation of 10s...

INTRODUCTION: The delayed return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after cessation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), also known as the Lazarus phenomenon, is a rare event described in several case reports. This study aims to determine the incidence and the time of occurrence of the Lazarus phenomenon after cessation of out-of-hospital CPR. METHODS: This prospective observational cohort study was conducted in the Helsinki Emergency Medical Service in Finland from 1 January 2011 through 31 December 2016...

Training in the modern form of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) started in Singapore in 1983. For the first 15 years, the expansion of training programmes was mainly owing to the interest of a few individuals. Public training in the skill was minimal. In an area of medical care where the greatest opportunity for benefit lies in employing core resuscitation skills in the prehospital environment, very little was being done to address such a need. In 1998, a group of physicians, working together with the Ministry of Health, set up the National Resuscitation Council (NRC)...

The most common initial rhythm in a sudden cardiac arrest is ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia. This is potentially treatable with defibrillation, especially if provided early. However, any delay in defibrillation will result in a decline in survival. Defibrillation requires coordination with the cardiopulmonary resuscitation component for effective resuscitation. These two components, which form the key links in the chain of survival, have to be brought to the cardiac victim in a timely fashion...

Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) refers to the skills required (without use of equipment) in the resuscitation of cardiac arrest individuals. On recognising cardiac arrest, chest compressions should be initiated. Good quality compressions are with arms extended, elbows locked, shoulders directly over the casualty's chest and heel of the palm on the lower half of the sternum. The rescuer pushes hard and fast, compressing 4-6 cm deep for adults at 100-120 compressions per minute with complete chest recoil...

BACKGROUND: Utstein-style guidelines use an established consensus process, endorsed by the international resuscitation community, to facilitate and structure resuscitation research and publication. The first "Guidelines for Uniform Reporting of Data From Drowning" were published over a decade ago. During the intervening years, resuscitation science has advanced considerably, thus making revision of the guidelines timely. In particular, measurement of cardiopulmonary resuscitation elements and neurological outcomes reporting have advanced substantially...

BACKGROUND: Utstein-style guidelines use an established consensus process, endorsed by the international resuscitation community, to facilitate and structure resuscitation research and publication. The first "Guidelines for Uniform Reporting of Data From Drowning" were published over a decade ago. During the intervening years, resuscitation science has advanced considerably, thus making revision of the guidelines timely. In particular, measurement of cardiopulmonary resuscitation elements and neurological outcomes reporting have advanced substantially...

We report a case of successful intravenous thrombolysis for a distal middle cerebral artery occlusion shortly after traumatic cardiopulmonary resuscitation due to an episode of ventricular tachycardia. A high prevalence of fatal cardiac arrhythmias in acute stroke patients raises the question of safety when administrating thrombolytic therapy after traumatic cardiopulmonary resuscitation; guidelines do not provide a satisfactory statement about this. Our case suggests that intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator for acute ischemic stroke can be administered after a thorough risk-to-benefit evaluation without major adverse effects in patients after traumatic cardiopulmonary resuscitation, as bleeding complications seem rare and can be monitored and treated...

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the outcome of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) in India and factors influencing the outcome. METHODS: The outcome and related factors like demographics, aspects of the OHCA event, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and survival to discharge, among the 80 adult patients presenting to emergency department experiencing OHCA considered for resuscitation between January 2014 to April 2015, were analyzed, according to the guidelines of the Utstein consensus conference...

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research is to investigate if two additional interventions, test and reflection, after standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training facilitate learning by comparing 13-year-old students' practical skills and willingness to act. SETTINGS: Seventh grade students in council schools of two municipalities in south-east Sweden. DESIGN: School classes were randomised to CPR training only (O), CPR training with a practical test including feedback (T) or CPR training with reflection and a practical test including feedback (RT)...

Do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders are typically signed by physicians in conjunction with patients or their surrogate decision makers in order to instruct healthcare providers not to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Both the medical literature and CPR guidelines fail to address when it is appropriate for physicians to sign DNR orders without any knowledge of a patient's wishes. We explore the ethical issues surrounding instituting a two-physician DNR for a dying patient with multiple comorbidities and no medical record on file, no advance directives, and no surrogate decision maker...

INTRODUCTION: Early defibrillation is an important factor of survival in cardiac arrest. However, novice resuscitators often struggle with cardiac arrest patients. We investigated factors leading to delayed defibrillation performed by final-year medical students within a simulated bystander cardiac arrest situation. METHODS: Final-year medical students received a refresher lecture and basic life support training before being confronted with a simulated cardiac arrest situation in a simulation ambulance...

OBJECTIVE: The study aims to describe the management of a case of life-threatening yew (Taxus baccata) intoxication. BACKGROUND: The needles of the yew tree contain highly cardiotoxic taxines. Intoxication with taxines, typically as part of suicide attempts, may lead to potentially lethal arrhythmias which often require prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other supportive measures. No specific therapy has been described. In some cases, extracorporeal life support has been used...

OBJECTIVES: Early defibrillation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is of importance to improve survival. In many countries the number of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) is increasing, but the use is low. Guidelines suggest that AEDs should be installed in densely populated areas and in locations with many visitors. Attempts have been made to identify optimal AED locations based on the incidence of OHCA using geographical information systems (GIS), but often on small datasets and the studies are seldom reproduced...

BACKGROUND: Unplanned extubations (UEs) have been associated with increased ventilator days, risk of infection, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and resuscitation medication usage. The UE rate in our level 4 NICU is lower than the national average. Efforts to further reduce UE events at our institution led an interdisciplinary group to define steps to eliminate UEs. Steps included: (1) requiring at least 2 care providers at the bedside for movement of an intubated subject; (2) standardizing head and endotracheal tube (ETT) position; (3) defining a set methodology for ETT securing; (4) introducing a postoperative handoff to improve communication; and (5) implementing a post-UE assessment tool...

INTRODUCTION: Advanced life support (ALS) guidelines recommend ultrasound to identify reversible causes of cardiac arrest. Right ventricular (RV) dilatation during cardiac arrest is commonly interpreted as a sign of pulmonary embolism. The RV is thus a focus of clinical ultrasound examination. Importantly, in animal studies ventricular fibrillation and hypoxia results in RV dilatation. Tension pneumothorax (tPTX) is another reversible cause of cardiac arrest, however, the impact on RV diameter remains unknown...