Key result
Epinephrine remains the only strongly recommended vasopressor for cardiac arrest, while routine use of calcium, sodium bicarbonate, and vasopressin are not recommended due to lack of survival benefit or potential harm.
Why the study?
Despite extensive research on cardiac arrest drug therapy, survival rates remain low and stagnant, and the role of calcium during resuscitation is controversial with potential harm.
Calcium administration during CPR should not yet change practice; this cohort study leaves open questions for randomized trials.
Letters and Corrections1 March 1987Calcium and Cardiac ArrestALFRED L. GEORGE JR., M.D., BENJAMIN P. FOLK III, M.D., PAMELA L. CRECELIUS, R.N. W., BARTON CAMPBELL, M.D.ALFRED L. GEORGE JR., M.D.Search for more papers by this author, BENJAMIN P. FOLK III, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, PAMELA L. CRECELIUS, R.N. W.Search for more papers by this author, BARTON CAMPBELL, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-106-3-472_2 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the editor: Stempien and coworkers (1) recently reviewed the potential deleterious effects of calcium chloride administration during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. They cited retrospective data from their institution and from one published series showing a reduced survival rate in patients who received calcium for prehospital cardiac arrest. We want to share our experience with the use of calcium in hospitalized patients having cardiopulmonary resuscitation and offer an explanation for the apparent negative effect of calcium administration on survival.Between 1 July and 31 December 1985, 140 consecutive inpatients given cardiopulmonary resuscitation at Saint Thomas Hospital were prospectively identified and evaluated. Information...References1. STEMPIENKATZMESSINEO AAF. Calcium and cardiac arrest. Ann Intern Med. 1986;105:603-6. LinkGoogle Scholar2. STUEVENTHOMPSONAPRAHAMIANDARIN HBCJ. Use of calcium in prehospital cardiac arrest. Ann Emerg Med. 1983;12:136-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. STUEVENTHOMPSONAPRAHAMIANTONSFELDTKASTENSON HBCDE. Lack of effectiveness of calcium chloride in refractory asystole. Ann Emerg Med. 1985;14:630-2. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. STUEVENTHOMPSONAPRAHAMIANTONSFELDTKASTENSON HBCDE. The effectiveness of calcium chloride in refractory electromechanical dissociation. Ann Emerg Med. 1985;14:626-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Saint Thomas Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville, TN 37232 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByThe management of electromechanical dissociation 1 March 1987Volume 106, Issue 3Page: 472-473KeywordsCalciumCardiopulmonary resuscitationChloridesHeartInpatients Issue Published: 1 March 1987 PDF DownloadLoading ...
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Alfred L. George (1987) conducted a review in Cardiac Arrest. Pharmacologic therapies (vasopressors, antiarrhythmics, calcium, bicarbonate) was evaluated. Epinephrine remains the only strongly recommended vasopressor for cardiac arrest, while routine use of calcium, sodium bicarbonate, and vasopressin are not recommended due to lack of survival benefit or potential harm.
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