Pulseless electrical activity (patient information): Difference between revisions
| Line 53: | Line 53: | ||
==Treatment options== | ==Treatment options== | ||
The current American Heart Association-Advanced Cardiac Life Support (AHA-ACLS) guidelines advise the following be undertaken in all patients: | The current American Heart Association-Advanced Cardiac Life Support (AHA-ACLS) guidelines advise the following be undertaken in all patients: | ||
*Start CPR immediately | |||
*Administer 100% oxygen to reverse [[hypoxia]] | |||
*[[Intubate]] the patient | |||
*Establish IV access | |||
==Where to find medical care for Pulseless electrical activity?== | ==Where to find medical care for Pulseless electrical activity?== | ||
Revision as of 12:08, 21 May 2020
 |
Resident Survival Guide |
|
Pulseless electrical activity |
|
Where to find medical care for Pulseless electrical activity? |
|---|
|
Pulseless electrical activity On the Web |
|
Directions to Hospitals Treating Pulseless electrical activity |
|
Risk calculators and risk factors for Pulseless electrical activity |
For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief:; Assistant Editor(s)-In-Chief:
Overview
What are the symptoms of Pulseless electrical activity?
Absence of palpable pulses is the main finding. Depending upon the cause, the following might be found:
- Tracheal deviation in or the unilateral absence of breath sounds in tension pneumothorax
- Decreased skin turgor
- Traumatic chest
- Cool extremities
- Tachycardia
- Cyanosis
What causes Pulseless electrical activity?
Common causes of PEA include preceding respiratory failure in 40% to 50% of cases, and hypovolemia. The common causes of PEA can be remembered using the mnemonic "The Hs and Ts".
- Hypovolemia
- Hypoxia
- Hydrogen ions (Acidosis)
- Hypothermia
- Hyperkalemia or Hypokalemia
- Hypoglycemia
- Tablets or Toxins (Drug overdose) such as beta blockers, tricyclic antidepressants, or calcium channel blockers
- Tamponade
- Tension pneumothorax
- Thrombosis (Myocardial infarction)
- Thrombosis (Pulmonary embolism)
- Trauma (Hypovolemia from blood loss)
- Covid-19
Who is at highest risk?
- Age i.e elderly
- Black race
- Female gender
- Heart failure patients
- Pulmonary disease
- Syncope
Diagnosis
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
The current American Heart Association-Advanced Cardiac Life Support (AHA-ACLS) guidelines advise the following be undertaken in all patients:
- Start CPR immediately
- Administer 100% oxygen to reverse hypoxia
- Intubate the patient
- Establish IV access
Where to find medical care for Pulseless electrical activity?
Directions to Hospitals Treating Condition
Prevention
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
The following complications are likely to be seen in pulseless electrical activity:
- Rib fractures due to repeated chest compressions during CPR
- Poor perfusion can lead to Ischemia of extremities
- Anoxic brain injury