TITLE:

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM CHARACTERISTICS PRIOR TO IN-HOSPITAL CARDIAC ARREST.

DATE:

Friday, Mar 2nd, 2012

TIME:

3:30 PM

LOCATION:

GMCS 214

SPEAKER:

Mina Attin.
School of Nursing.
San Diego State University.

ABSTRACT:

In-hospital cardiac arrest (I-HCA) is a significant public health problem accounting for
approximately 200,000 treated cardiac arrests at hospitals annually in the United States. The
literature has consistently shown a high mortality (60%-70%) and approximately less than 30%
of patients survive with good neurological outcomes after experiencing I-HCA.
There is a gap in knowledge and understanding of which patients are at greatest risk for
I-HCA. Resuscitation therapy usually begins when electrocardiographic monitoring shows
life threatening cardiac arrhythmias (e.g, tachycardias or bradycardias) in monitored beds,
or worse, when the patient is found dead by the clinicians especially at night and or in early
morning in non-monitored beds. One of the most crucial factors in determining the outcome
of I-HCA is the time to recognize the onset of a cardiac arrest followed by implementing
resuscitation therapy. The purpose of this clinical study is to investigate the electrocardiogram
(ECG) and clinical predictors (e.g., laboratory values, medications) prior to I-HCA in
cardiovascular patients compared to those without I-HCA among four life threatening rhythm
groups: pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF), pulseless electrical
activity (PEA), asystole, and their matched controls.

HOST:

Dr. Paul Paolini.

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