Part 7.2: Management of Cardiac Arrest

Part 7.2: Management of Cardiac ArrestF our rhythms produce pulseless cardiac arrest: ventricular fibrillation (VF), rapid ventricular tachycardia (VT), pulseless electrical activity (PEA), and asystole.Survival from these arrest rhythms requires both basic life support (BLS) and advanced cardiovascular life support (ACLS).The foundation of ACLS care is good BLS care, beginning with prompt high-quality bystander CPR and, for VF/pulseless VT, attempted defibrillation within minutes of collapse.For victims of witnessed VF arrest, prompt bystander CPR and early defibrillation can significantly increase the chance for survival to hospital discharge.In comparison, typical ACLS therapies, such as insertion of advanced airways and pharmacologic support of the circulation, have not been shown to increase rate of survival to hospital discharge.This section details the general care of a patient in cardiac arrest and provides an overview of the ACLS Pulseless Arrest Algorithm.