Open AccessImproving neurological outcome after cardiac arrest: Therapeutic hypothermia the best treatment
Author(s) -
Suchitra Malhotra,
Satyavir S Dhama,
Mohinder Kumar,
Gaurav Jain
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
al-banǧ. maqālāt wa abḥāṯ fī al-taẖdīr wa-al-in’āš
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0259-1162
DOI - 10.4103/0259-1162.113981
Subject(s) - hypothermia , medicine , clinical death , coma (optics) , cardiopulmonary resuscitation , intensive care medicine , resuscitation , etiology , return of spontaneous circulation , intensive care unit , anesthesia , physics , optics
Cardiac arrest, irrespective of its etiology, has a high mortality. This event is often associated with brain anoxia which frequently causes severe neurological damage and persistent vegetative state. Only one out of every six patients survives to discharge following in-hospital cardiac arrest, whereas only 2-9% of patients who experience out of hospital cardiac arrest survive to go home. Functional outcomes of survival are variable, but poor quality survival is common, with only 3-7% able to return to their previous level of functioning. Therapeutic hypothermia is an important tool for the treatment of post-anoxic coma after cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It has been shown to reduce mortality and has improved neurological outcomes after cardiac arrest. Nevertheless, hypothermia is underused in critical care units. This manuscript aims to review the mechanism of hypothermia in cardiac arrest survivors and to propose a simple protocol, feasible to be implemented in any critical care unit.