Cardiac arrest is the sudden and complete loss of cardiac function. It may appear due to ventricular fibrillation. Asystole or electrochemical dissociation and many other causes.
Basic life support for collapse in cardiac arrest
Check response to stimuli
- If conscious
- Make comfortable
- Observe closely
- If unconscious
- Breathing
- Left lateral position
- Observe closely
- No breathing
- Sound alarm
- Clear airway
- Supine position
- 2 quick breaths
- Feel for carotid pulse
- Pulse present
- Continue expired air ventilation
- Check for any return of pulse or breathing in every 2 minutes
- Pulse absent
- Commence to CPR (external cardiac compression and ventilation)
- Check for return of pulse or breathing in every 2 minutes.
Important signs
- Unconsciousness, apnea, no pulse
First aid and emergency management in cardiac arrest
Maintain the ABCD
- A= airway
- B= breathing
give 2 slow breaths and then 1 breaths in every 5 compressions with 2 o perator or 2 breaths with 15 compressions with 1 operater
- C=circulation
Check for pulse compression start and after 2 minutes – 80-100 compression /min 2 finger above sternal notch depress 4-6 cm
- D=drugs
Adrenaline 1:1000 ,1ml(=1mg)IV, may be repeated 3-5 times continue CPR Atropine 3mg IV once
Treatment-Children resuscitation doses :
- Adrenaline: 0.01 mg/kg = 0.01ml/kg of 1:1000 adrenaline 0.1ml/kg of 1/10000
- Calcium chloride (10%), 0.1-0.2ml/kg IV
- Atropine =0.01mg/kg IV
- Hydrocortisone = 5mg/kg IV repeated after 4-6 hourly
- Dexamethasone= 2-4 mg/kg IV initially then 1-2 mg in 6 hourly
- Diazepam =0.3mg/kg IV repeat after 10 min 0.4mg/kg
- ET Tube = full term baby 3.5, premature 3.0 <1250g give 2.5
- Laryngoscope = full term #1 and premature =#0
