Anesthesia Key

Introduction Defibrillation is the passage of sufficient electrical current across the heart to depolarise a critical mass of myocardium, preventing the continued propagation of the fibrillatory wave fronts and allowing…

Introduction Major trauma is the term used to describe serious or multiple injuries associated with a significant possibility of death or disability. The term can be further subdivided into blunt…

Introduction In the year ending June 2009, there were just under one million incidents reported to the Department of Health by NHS facilities in England. Over 90% of these resulted…

Introduction Worldwide, there are approximately 450,000 deaths each year from drowning. Most occur in low- and middle-income countries, but in 2006 there were 312 accidental deaths from drowning in the…

Introduction Most in-hospital cardiac arrests (IHCAs) are predictable events associated with slow and progressive deterioration in the patient’s cardiac, respiratory and neurological function due to a non-cardiac problem. Overall survival…

Introduction Most babies make the transition to extrauterine life without assistance and breathe effectively within 90 s of birth. A small number need assistance with that transition and require airway…

Introduction After cardiac arrest occurs, prompt and efficient action can be life saving. It is relatively rare for basic life support (BLS) interventions alone to restore a spontaneous circulation. Advanced…

Epidemiology of cardiac arrest In 2006, coronary heart disease accounted for 1 of every 6 deaths (a total of 425,425) in the United States and one-third of these deaths occurred…

Introduction Return of a spontaneous circulation (ROSC) is a critical step in the continuum of resuscitation, but the quality of the patient’s ultimate survival depends on interventions applied in the…