Cardiac Arrest

Delayed transfer to the ICU increases risk of death in hospital patients

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ATS: Early prone positioning reduces mortality in ARDS

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Hospitals' cardiac arrest incidence and survival rates go hand in hand

Hospitals with the highest rates of cardiac arrests tend to have the poorest survival rates for those cases, new University of Michigan Health System research shows.

Cardiology created May 20, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

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Study suggests new role for ECMO in treating patients with cardiac arrest and profound shock

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a procedure traditionally used during cardiac surgeries and in the ICU that functions as an artificial replacement for a patient's heart and lungs, has also been used to resuscitate ...

Cardiology created May 17, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

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Cardiology created May 14, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

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Estrogen levels tied to risk for sudden cardiac death in study

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Cardiology created May 11, 2013 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Less than half of deaths after angioplasty result of procedure, study shows

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Researchers determine where best to place defibrillators

TORONTO: Prompt use of an automated external defibrillator, or AED, can greatly increase the survival rates of people who suffer a cardiac arrest. And MIE Professor Tim Chan, working with Dr. Laurie Morrison at St. Michael's ...

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Study finds survival from cardiac arrest highest in the operating room or post-anesthesia care unit

A University of Michigan study from the "Online First" edition of Anesthesiology found cardiac arrest was associated with improved survival when it occurred in the operating room (O.R.) or post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) ...

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Injecting life-saving oxygen into a vein: Microparticles could deliver oxygen when breathing is impaired

Patients unable to breathe because of acute lung failure or an obstructed airway need another way to get oxygen to their blood—and fast—to avoid cardiac arrest and brain injury. A team led by researchers at Boston ...

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Professor links gene mutations with heart disease precursors

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Cardiology created May 17, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast


Cardiac arrest, (also known as cardiopulmonary arrest or circulatory arrest) is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively. Medical personnel can refer to an unexpected cardiac arrest as a sudden cardiac arrest or SCA.

A cardiac arrest is different from (but may be caused by) a heart attack, where blood flow to the muscle of the heart is impaired.

Arrested blood circulation prevents delivery of oxygen to the body. Lack of oxygen to the brain causes loss of consciousness, which then results in abnormal or absent breathing. Brain injury is likely if cardiac arrest goes untreated for more than five minutes. For the best chance of survival and neurological recovery, immediate and decisive treatment is imperative.

Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency that, in certain situations, is potentially reversible if treated early. When unexpected cardiac arrest leads to death this is called sudden cardiac death (SCD). The treatment for cardiac arrest is cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to provide circulatory support, followed by defibrillation if a shockable rhythm is present. If a shockable rhythm is not present after CPR and other interventions, clinical death is inevitable.

This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

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