What is ventricular pulseless electrical activity?

What is ventricular pulseless electrical activity?

Pulseless electrical activity (PEA) is defined as organized ECG activity, excluding ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation, without clinical evidence of a palpable pulse or myocardial contractions.

What are the 2 most common causes of pulseless electrical activity?

Hypovolemia and hypoxia are the two most common causes of PEA. They are also the most easily reversible and should be at the top of any differential diagnosis.

Can you defibrillate pulseless electrical activity?

Ts. Rhythms that are not amenable to shock include pulseless electrical activity (PEA) and asystole. In these cases, identifying primary causation, performing good CPR, and administering epinephrine are the only tools you have to resuscitate the patient.

How do you identify pulseless electrical activity?

Pseudo-PEA can be detected in the absence of a palpable pulse by:

1. arterial line placement during cardiac arrest (identified by the presence of a blood pressure)
2. high ETCO2 readings in intubated patients.
3. echocardiography or Doppler ultrasound demonstrating cardiac pulsatility.

What is the treatment for pulseless electrical activity?

Treatment / Management The first step in managing pulseless electrical activity is to begin chest compressions according to the advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) protocol followed by administrating epinephrine every 3 to 5 minutes, while simultaneously looking for any reversible causes.

What can cause pulseless electrical activity?

Various causes of pulseless electrical activity include significant hypoxia, profound acidosis, severe hypovolemia, tension pneumothorax, electrolyte imbalance, drug overdose, sepsis, large myocardial infarction, massive pulmonary embolism, cardiac tamponade, hypoglycemia, hypothermia, and trauma.

How common is pulseless electrical activity?

Pulseless electrical activity (PEA) refers to cardiac arrest in which the electrocardiogram shows a heart rhythm that should produce a pulse, but does not. Pulseless electrical activity is found initially in about 55% of people in cardiac arrest.

How do you treat pulseless electrical activity?

What is the difference between asystole and pulseless electrical activity?

According to International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), pulseless electrical activity refers to any rhythm that occurs without a detectable pulse; however, it excludes ventricular fibrillation (VF) and ventricular tachycardia (VT). Asystole is the more life-threatening arrhythmia.

What medication is used for pulseless electrical activity?

Inotropic, anticholinergic, and alkalinizing agents are used in the treatment of pulseless electrical activity (PEA). As previously stated, resuscitative pharmacology includes epinephrine and atropine.

How can pulseless electrical activity be prevented?

Resuscitative pharmacology includes epinephrine and atropine. Epinephrine should be administered in 1-mg doses intravenously/intraosseously (IV/IO) every 3-5 minutes during pulseless electrical activity (PEA) arrest.

What do you give for pulseless electrical activity?

Epinephrine should be administered in 1-mg doses intravenously/intraosseously (IV/IO) every 3-5 minutes during pulseless electrical activity (PEA) arrest. Higher doses of epinephrine have been studied and show no improvement in survival or neurologic outcomes in most patients.