CARDIAC ARREST

Course overview

AS DEFINED BY THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION AND THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY, "(SUDDEN) CARDIAC ARREST IS THE SUDDEN CESSATION OF CARDIAC ACTIVITY SO THAT THE VICTIM BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE, WITH NO NORMAL BREATHING AND NO SIGNS OF CIRCULATION. IF CORRECTIVE MEASURES ARE NOT TAKEN RAPIDLY, THIS CONDITION PROGRESSES TO SUDDEN DEATH. CARDIAC ARREST SHOULD BE USED TO SIGNIFY AN EVENT AS DESCRIBED ABOVE, WHICH IS REVERSED, USUALLY BY CPR AND/OR DEFIBRILLATION OR CARDIOVERSION, OR CARDIAC PACING. SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH SHOULD NOT BE USED TO DESCRIBE EVENTS THAT ARE NOT FATAL." THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF CARDIAC ARREST AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM MEMBERS TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.