Cardiac arrest

When cardiac arrest is defined as the failure of the cardiovascular system. As is often synonymous with the term clinical death used. This condition is potentially reversible and can be treat by the initiation of a cardiopulmonary resuscitation ( CPR ). However, it is possible to revive some of the persons concerned, and the measures are promising only in a time window of a few minutes.

Without such measures, or artificial maintenance of circulatory functions enters the biological death.

Causes

The most common non-clinical cause of a cardiac arrest in the sense of emergency is in Western industrialized nations, with over 80% of sudden cardiac death due to a heart attack or cardiac arrhythmias. Other internal diseases such as lung diseases (4 %), diseases of the brain such as a stroke (2% ), pulmonary embolism and other occupy a share of 9 %. In 9% other reasons such as accidents ( 3%), suffocation lead (2%), poisoning (2%), drowning, suicides or accidents to the current circulatory arrest.

Distinction

The circulatory arrest, so a failure of the circulation of the body can be divided into several forms:

  • Ventricular fibrillation, and ventricular fibrillation (VF ) called: The muscle contraction is disturbed, the individual heart muscle cells uncoordinated and work independently so that no contraction of the entire heart muscle, which is important for the ejection, can develop.
  • Pulseless ventricular tachycardia ( PVT ): The heart beats so fast that it can not fill with enough blood between two beats and therefore does not provide pump power.
  • Electromechanical decoupling, electromechanical dissociation ( EMD) or pulseless electrical activity (PEA ) called: A electrical activity is available, these stimuli are not converted into mechanical cardiac activity.
  • Asystole: There is a complete failure of the electrical and mechanical cardiac activity.

Even though all forms effectively mean a failure of the pump function, the differentiation for advanced therapy is important.

Sign

As a sure sign of a cardiac arrest are:

  • Pulselessness the great arteries ( common carotid artery or femoral artery );
  • Initially gasping; this occurs when a cardiac arrest on (after about 20-30 seconds);
  • Respiratory arrest; this occurs during circulatory arrest after about 30-60 seconds.

Unsafe characters are:

  • Absence of reflexes
  • Wide or light fixed pupils (about 60 seconds)
  • Cyanosis ( blue-gray skin),
  • Cramps,
  • Pulselessness the radial artery ( wrist ).

Unconsciousness occurs after a few seconds a cardiac arrest.

Therapy

The circulatory arrest is an immediately life-threatening medical emergency and requires immediate initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

In addition to the basic measures chest compressions and ventilation, which can be performed by laymen and without any special equipment, a fast advanced therapy (medication, defibrillation), for example, by the emergency service is required. Therefore, an emergency call should be discontinued as soon as possible after recognition of the consciousness of a person.

The resuscitation by lay people plays a crucial role in the outcome of the patient. By the time the emergency services arrive, already irreversible damage may be caused to the brain from lack of oxygen, which can only be delayed for a sufficient cardiac massage and artificial respiration.

Swell

  • Emergency Medicine
Agonal respiration Cardioplegia Spasm Mechanical ventilation
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