emDOCs Podcast – Episode 98: Post ROSC Mental Model

Today on the emDOCs cast Brit Long interviews Zachary Aust on the use of a mental model in post ROSC patients.


Episode 98: Post ROSC Mental Model

What’s the problem?

  • The Code
    • Whatever caused the initial arrest
    • Iatrogenic injuries from CPR
  •  Patients are in a pathophysiologic state that is being called “post-cardiac arrest syndrome”
    • Hypoxic brain injury
    • Myocardial dysfunction
    • Systemic ischemia/reperfusion injury
    • SIRS Response
  • Very fragile state
  • Hard to diagnose what is going on
  • Small Things Matter

 

Overview – C A B S

  • Circulation
    • Close monitoring of perfusion
    • Arterial Line
    • US/Doppler
    • Pulse Ox
    • ETCO2
    • Higher MAP with Immediate Vasopressors + Fluids
    • Norepinephrine or Epinephrine
  • Airway
    • Definitive Airway (before they leave)
    • Resus Before Intubation
    • Use Induction+Paralytic
    • Inline Waveform ETCO2
  • Breathing
    • Keep things normal (O2/CO2)
    • Be Mindful of Over-bagging
  • Stuff
    • EKG
    • POCUS-RUSH
    • Temp
    • Use a checklist to remember the little things

 

Circulation

  • Multi Modal Perfusion Markers
    • Arterial Line
      • Femoral site preferred
      • Don’t lose focus on the resus
    • Ultrasound
      • Pulsatile carotid/femoral
      • Transition to doppler after ensuring correct vessel
        • Femoral vein pulsatile during CPR
    •  Pulse Ox
      • Persistent waveform
        • Good indicator of mechanical HR
    • End Tidal Capnography
      • Persistent elevation > 30-40
  • Check Heart Rate and Blood pressure
  • MAP Goal: 80 mm Hg
    • Consider >65 if severe myocardial dysfunction but in general higher MAP
  • Hypotension- need to find out why but empirically treat at the same time
    • Vasopressors immediately-Have at beside ready….or running during code
      • Norepinephrine is good default
      • Epi
        • Better for PE
        • Not for VTach/VFib
      • Vasopressin- especially if super acidotic
      • Dopamine-Just say no
  • RUSH Exam-find out why they are hypotensive
    • Rule Out PTX/Tamponade
    • RVD can be from code itself
    • Myocardial dysfunction from etiology or post cardiac arrest syndrome
      • Serial assessments
  • Probably 1-2 L IVF up front, don’t blindly administer massive amounts of fluid
  • Bradycardia- check BP
    • HTN- likely appropriate response, monitor closely can drop soon
    • Hypotensive- see above
      • If you think the bradycardia is driving the hypotension sure try atropine
      • But get the epi/pacing ready

 

Airway

  • If no ETT/definitive airway they need one….not the biggest priority (focus on circulation) but sooner rather than later…before they leave the room for sure
    • Remember it’s okay to use LMA during code but be using…
  • ETCO2 In Line Waveform
    • No ETCO2 reading? Check the pulse
  • RSI= Resuscitation Sequence Intubation
    • Hypoxia, Hypotension, and Acidosis are the reason patients code during/post intubation
    • These patients are super high risk for all 4
  • Optimize first pass success – Induction agent + paralytic
    • Unconscious patients will still have muscle tone
  • Induction
    • Ketamine or Etomidate at half doses (i.e., Ketamine 50 mg IV)
  • Paralytic-double the dose
    • Rocuronium is my choice
      • Unlikely to know true potassium given ischemia/reperfusion
  • Post Intubation analgesia/sedation
    • Patients can have awareness post ROSC
    • Also need to consider neuro prognostication
    • Short acting agents
    • Use ketamine drip if it’s an option
    • Can re-dose Ketamine/Etomidate (easy to forget however)
    • Propofol with a pressor less optimal here in the immediate period but once stabilized a good option
    • Fentanyl
      • Pushes
      • May not be ideal for drip as it can build up but okay to start while in ED if stopping before before leaving for ICU
    • Please stop using versed drips for post intubation sedation
  • NG/OG tube and HOB elevated

 

Breathing

  • Overview
    • Target normoxia and normocapnia
    • Target a SpO2 of 92-95% (PaO2 80-150)
    • ETCO2 30-35 (PaCO2 35-45)
  •  Oxygen
    • Avoid both hypoxia and hyperoxia (remember the little things)
    • Target a SpO2 of 92-95%
    • Titrate down FiO2 to the minimum for this and as quickly as you can
    • Don’t need blood gas to do this
  •  CO2
    • Avoid hypocapnia (decreased brain perfusion)
    • Unclear if hypercapnia is beneficial, avoid until more date
    • Verify with blood gas as needed BUT remember the ETCO2 is AT LEAST what our PaCO2 is
  •  Use lung protective settings unless asthmatic/COPD
  • Over-bagging with BVM is common; will cause decrease venous return

 

Stuff (workup/imaging/other meds)

  • Utilize a physical checklist here
  • My preferred at this time linked in chapter above
  • EKG ASAP
  • POCUS-RUSH as above
  • POC Glucose
  • Broad workup
  • Basics+coags, trops, thyroid, pregnancy
  • Low threshold for sepsis add ons +abx
  • Steroids – controversial
  • CT- if unknown cause consider strongly
  • If they go I panscan for etiology and sequelae of CPR
    • CT Head
      • Some evidence that may show benefit with unknown story…I would lean towards getting one
    • CT chest-PE/dissection
      • May have clues on POCUS first
    • CT abdomen/pelvis
      • Find the source of sepsis

 

Targeted Temperature Management

  • My goal: Temp < 37.8 C
  • General principle of avoiding fever
  • Local guidelines will be the biggest influence
  • Evolving evidence
  • Continuous monitoring
  • Scheduled acetaminophen
  • Devices to cool depend on institution
  • Don’t over focus on this at expense of other things keep the fever down and working in conjunction with the admitting providers

 

Cath Lab

  • ROSC+STEMI= Cath Lab
    • AHA/ACC Class I rec
  • ROSC + No STEMI= Trend EKGs
    • 2014 AHA/ACC guidelines-patient with hemodynamic/electrical instability-
    • Immediate invasive strategy within 2 hours- Class Ia
  • Dependent on patient factors + conversation with interventional cardiology
    • Patient factors to consider
      • Witnessed or unwitnessed arrest, non shockable initial rhythm, bystander CPR, 30 min until ROSC, pH < 7.2, Lactate >7, age >85, ESRD, non cardiac causes likely
      • Be cautious using pH and Lactate in isolation without other factors

 

Share This:

1 thought on “emDOCs Podcast – Episode 98: Post ROSC Mental Model”

  1. This is a great mental model!

    I’m not sure the MAP goal should be > 80 mmHg post arrest. This is not zero risk if having to use catecholamines to achieve a higher MAP target. The latest RCT (https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2208687) demonstrates a MAP of 63 has equivalent mortality and neurologic outcomes (even in the pre-existing hypertension subgroup) to a MAP of 77.

    My goal is MAP > 65 post arrest

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

emDOCs subscribes to the Free Open Access Meducation (FOAMed) initiative. Our goal is to inform the global EM community with timely and high-yield content about what providers like YOU are seeing and doing daily in your local ED.

WRITE FOR EMDOCS

We are actively recruiting both new topics and authors.
This project is rolling and you can submit an idea or write-up anytime!
Contact us at editors@emdocs.net

news, headlines, newsletter

Join our Newsletter

Keep up to date on all of the latest new articles, studies, and Podcasts.
tea tree oil.