Wed3November0844PM 12

You receive a phone call from the medical registrar on call seeking advice regarding a post cardiac arrest patient. The patient has been successfully resuscitated following a ventricular fibrillation arrest.

The medical team have been requested to commence cooling the patient to attain therapeutic hypothermia.

Which of the following methods are most appropriate in this scenario?

(Please select 1 option)

Cardiopulmonary bypass

Admit patient to cooling chamber Incorrect answer selected

Intravascular heat exchanger

Intravenous fluids 5°C

Intravenous fluids 4°C This is the correct answer

Explanation

Therapeutic measures employed when cooling a patient include external and internal methods. The temperature range should be maintained between 32-34°C.

External cooling methods:

ice packs

cooling blankets

intravenous fluids at 4°C, and

water circulating gel-coated pads.

Internal cooling methods:

intravascular heat exchanger

cardiopulmonary bypass.

Physiological side effects of cooling can include any of the following:

shivering: sedate +/- neuromuscular blocking drug

bradycardia and cardiovascular instability

infection

hyperglycaemia

electrolyte abnormalities

increased amylase values, and

reduced clearance of drugs.

Reference:

Resuscitation Council (UK). Adult advanced life support.

Answer Statistics

1

3%

2

10%

3

42%

4

17%

5

31%

Times answered: 285