Study guides physicians using therapeutic cooling to treat cardiac arrest patients
October 19, 2011 in Cardiology
Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States, and just 7 percent of victims survive that initial collapse. In addition, fewer than half of the small percentage of people whose hearts are restarted survive to leave the hospital, because they often suffer irreversible brain damage. A Mayo Clinic study published this month in the journal Neurology provides guidance to physicians using therapeutic cooling to treat sudden cardiac arrest patients.
One relatively new approach to prevent or reduce brain damage involves the use of hypothermia - forced cooling - of the patient as soon as possible following sudden cardiac arrest. The aim is to slow the body's metabolism and reduce the cascade of undesirable events that can cause permanent brain damage. It is believed that mild therapeutic hypothermia suppresses harmful chemical reactions in the brain and preserves cell health.
One concern about the use of hypothermia for cardiac arrest patients is that it might delay a patient's post-event awakening. This is important because an evaluation 72 hours after the patient's collapse is useful in determining the prognosis, especially if the patient is awake.
Mayo Clinic researchers, however, found that both patient groups - those who were and were not treated with therapeutic hypothermia - awoke an average of two days post-collapse, with nearly all patients in both groups awakening within three days.
"After sudden cardiac arrest, the use of therapeutic hypothermia can make a difference, not only in terms of survival but also allowing more patients to recover without significant brain damage," says senior author Alejandro Rabinstein, M.D., a Mayo Clinic neurologist. "Our study relieves concerns about delayed awakening associated with hypothermia and supports its use when indicated."
In addition to these findings, the researchers also report that:
-- The median day of awakening was day two for both hypothermic and non-hypothermic patients.
-- Ninety-one percent of hypothermic patients and 79 percent of non-hypothermic patients awoke within three days following their collapse.
-- Overall in-hospital mortality was 53 percent.
Also reported was that:
--Sixty-four percent of patients treated with induced hypothermia survived.
-- Just 24 percent of patients not treated with hypothermia survived.
Provided by
Mayo Clinic
-
Researchers confirm value of therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest
Feb 18, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Hypothermia proves successful in younger cardiac patients too
Apr 03, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Therapy Preventing Brain Damage in Cardiac Arrest Patients
Jun 24, 2008 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Therapeutic hypothermia is promising strategy to minimize tissue damage
Mar 19, 2009 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Post-cardiac arrest care key to survival
Oct 23, 2008 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Motion perception revisited: High Phi effect challenges established motion perception assumptions
Apr 23, 2013 |
3 / 5 (2) |
2
-
Anything you can do I can do better: Neuromolecular foundations of the superiority illusion (Update)
Apr 02, 2013 |
4.5 / 5 (11) |
5
-
The visual system as economist: Neural resource allocation in visual adaptation
Mar 30, 2013 |
5 / 5 (2) |
9
-
Separate lives: Neuronal and organismal lifespans decoupled
Mar 27, 2013 |
4.9 / 5 (8) |
0
-
Sizing things up: The evolutionary neurobiology of scale invariance
Feb 28, 2013 |
4.8 / 5 (10) |
14
-
Change in momentum when a body is thrown up and falls back down.
2 hours ago
-
change in speed and wavelength of light while travelling from one med
2 hours ago
-
Calculus of Variation - Classical Mechanics
5 hours ago
-
Frictional Force Equation Doesn't Make Sense
5 hours ago
-
Calculating Steam Pressure in Closed Container
10 hours ago
-
Learning curve of Electromagnetism?
16 hours ago
- More from Physics Forums - Classical Physics
More news stories
Free fatty acids linked to cardiac risk in late adulthood
(HealthDay)—Blood levels of free fatty acids are associated with insulin resistance during young adulthood and cardiovascular risk factors in later adulthood, according to a study published online May 13 ...
Cardiology
May 17, 2013 |
not rated yet |
0
|
Diagnosing heart attacks: There's an app for that
An experimental, inexpensive iPhone application transmitted diagnostic heart images faster and more reliably than emailing photo images, according to a research study presented at the American Heart Association's Quality ...
Cardiology
May 17, 2013 |
not rated yet |
0
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
May 17, 2013 |
not rated yet |
0
Stroke patients respond similarly to after-stroke care, despite age difference
Age has little to do with how patients should be treated after suffering a stroke, according to new research from the University of Georgia.
Cardiology
May 17, 2013 |
not rated yet |
0
|
Depression linked to almost doubled stroke risk in middle-aged women
Depressed middle-aged women have almost double the risk of having a stroke, according to research published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Cardiology
May 16, 2013 |
not rated yet |
0
Consuming coffee linked to lower risk of detrimental liver disease, study finds
Regular consumption of coffee is associated with a reduced risk of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), an autoimmune liver disease, Mayo Clinic research shows. The findings were being presented at the Digestive Disease ...
Ketamine shows significant therapeutic benefit in people with treatment-resistant depression
Patients with treatment-resistant major depression saw dramatic improvement in their illness after treatment with ketamine, an anesthetic, according to the largest ketamine clinical trial to-date led by researchers from the ...
Research examines new methods for managing digestive health
Research presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) explores new methods for managing digestive health through diet and lifestyle.
New smartphone application improves colonoscopy preparation
The use of a smartphone application significantly improves patients' preparation for a colonoscopy, according to new research presented today at Digestive Disease Week (DDW). The preparation process, which begins days in ...
New research identifies practice changes to improve value and quality of GI procedures
There are significant cost and risk factors associated with two procedures commonly used to diagnose or treat gastrointestinal problems, according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW).
New research identifies risks, interventions for children's GI health
An increasing number of U.S. children are experiencing gastrointestinal issues that require interventions to resolve, according to research presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW).