After the heart restarts – post-arrest care in the Emergency Department

Author: Fraser Magee / Editor: Fraser Magee / Reviewer: John Wilson / Code: R1Published: 01/04/2021

A patient arrives in resus following an out of hospital cardiac arrest. He had a background of obesity and type II diabetes. There were no witnesses to the collapse but the ambulance arrived shortly afterwards after being called by bystanders.

He is self ventilating with supplemental oxygen with oxygen saturations of 96%. He has a heart rate of 70 BPM with a strong radial pulse and BP of 150/90mmHg. He is obtunded with a GCS of 11/15. His ECG on arrival shows sinus rhythm with deep (5mm) ST depression in the anterior leads.

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