Open AccessTherapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest
Author(s) -
Abdullah Al-Shimemeri
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
annals of cardiac anaesthesia/annals of cardiac anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.42
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 0974-5181
pISSN - 0971-9784
DOI - 10.4103/0971-9784.142065
Subject(s) - medicine , hypothermia , clinical death , targeted temperature management , resuscitation , cardiopulmonary resuscitation , intensive care medicine , cardiac function curve , anesthesia , clinical trial , return of spontaneous circulation , heart failure
Prognosis following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is generally poor, which is mostly due to the severity of neuronal damage. Recently, the use of therapeutic hypothermia has gradually occupied an important role in managing neuronal injuries in some cases of cardiac arrests. Some of the clinical trials conducted in comatose post-resuscitation cardiac arrest patients within the last decade have shown induced hypothermia to be effective in facilitating neuronal function recovery. This method has since been adopted in a number of guidelines and protocols as the standard method of treatment in carefully selected patient groups. Patient inclusion criteria ensure that hypothermia-associated complications are kept to a minimum while at the same time maximizing the treatment benefits. In the present work, we have examined different aspects in the use of therapeutic hypothermia as a means of managing comatose patients following cardiac arrest.