Management of cardiac arrest

Basic life support is the foundation on which advanced life support is built. Therefore, it is essential that all advanced life support providers are proficient at basic techniques, and that they are capable of ensuring that basic life support is provided continuously and well during resuscitation. This chapter demonstrates how to assess the collapsed patient and perform basic life support (BLS). It also demonstrates how to manage the choking child. The chapter further demonstrates how to assess the cardiac arrest rhythm and perform advanced life support. Cardiac arrest has occurred when there is no effective cardiac output. Before any specific therapy is started, effective BLS must be established. The chapter discusses four cardiac arrest rhythms: asystole; pulseless electrical activity; ventricular fibrillation; and pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Asystole is the most common arrest rhythm in children, because the response of the young heart to prolonged severe hypoxia and acidosis is progressive bradycardia leading to asystole.