Remove Cardiac Arrest Remove Defibrillator Remove Ischemia
article thumbnail

A 20-something woman with cardiac arrest.

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

Cardiac arrest was called and advanced life support was undertaken for this patient. The patient was given chest compressions while waiting for the cardiac arrest team to arrive. She spontaneously converted (Defibrillation was not performed). The morning before the cardiac arrest potassium was 4,3.mmol,

article thumbnail

Resuscitated from ventricular fibrillation. Should the cath lab be activated?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

He was defibrillated into VT. He then underwent dual sequential defibrillation into asystole. The ECG shows severe ischemia, possibly posterior OMI. But cardiac arrest is a period of near zero flow in the coronary arteries and causes SEVERE ischemia. It takes time for that ischemia to resolve.

article thumbnail

Cardiac arrest, defibrillated, diffuse ST depression and ST Elevation in aVR. Why?

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

ST depression is common BOTH after resuscitation from cardiac arrest and during atrial fib with RVR. Again, it is common to have an ECG that shows apparent subendocardial ischemia after resuscitation from cardiac arrest, after defibrillation, and after cardioversion. The patient was cardioverted.

article thumbnail

Cardiac arrest: even after the angiogram, the diagnosis is not always clear

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

She was found to be in ventricular fibrillation and was defibrillated 8 times without a single, even transient, conversion out of fibrillation. She was immediately intubated during continued compressions, then underwent a 9th defibrillation, which resulted in an organized rhythm at 42 minutes after initial arrest. see below).

article thumbnail

A 40-something presented after attempted prehospital resuscitation with persistent Ventricular Fibrillation

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

He underwent further standard resuscitation EXCEPT that we applied the Inspiratory Threshold Device ( ResQPod ) AND applied Dual Sequential Defibrillation (this simply means we applied 2 sets of pads, had 2 defib machines, and defibrillated with both with only a fraction of one second separating each defibrillation.

article thumbnail

Cardiac Arrest, acute ST elevation and depression superimposed on LVH, but NOT due to ACS

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

He was resuscitated with chest compressions and defibrillation and 1 mg of epinephrine. ACS would be highly unusual in a young athlete, and given the information on his race bib, one must first suspect that the abnormal ST elevation is due to demand ischemia, not ACS. This young male had ventricular fibrillation during a triathlon.

article thumbnail

Cardiac Arrest. What does the ECG show? Also see the bizarre Bigeminy.

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

A 60-something woman presented after a witnessed cardiac arrest. She was never defibrillated. This is commonly found after epinephrine for cardiac arrest, but could have been pre-existing and a possible contributing factor to cardiac arrest. Cardiac cath showed minimal disease. She recovered.