Author(s)

Timothy J. Mader, Ryan A. Coute, Adam R. Kellogg, Joshua L. Harris, Scot A. Millay, Leonard C. Jensen

Department of Emergency Medicine at Baystate Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Springfield, USA.

Background: Sufficient coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) to provide myocardial reperfusion is required for defibrillation success after prolonged ventricular fibrillation (VF) cardiac arrest. Chest compression interruptions cause a precipitous drop in CPP. Objective: To quantify the ex- tent to which CPP recovers to pre-pause levels following chest compression interruptions. Me- thods: This was a secondary analysis of data from two similar IACUC approved protocols. A total of 105 Yorkshire swine were included and VF was electrically induced. After 10 minutes of untreated VF in the first study (n = 52) and 12 minutes of untreated VF in the second (n = 53), CPR began and epinephrine was administered approximately 2 minutes prior to a planned 10-second pause to record an artifact-free ECG waveform segment. Following this pause, CPR was resumed for 20- seconds prior to defibrillation. CPP data were extracted from three time points: 2 minutes after epinephrine delivery (CPP1); following the chest compression pause (CPP2); and immediately before defibrillation (CPP3). Our primary outcome was defined as the ratio of CPP recovery (CPP3- CPP2) to the drop in CPP (CPP1-CPP2). Results: Interrupting compressions resulted in a significant drop in CPP (29.8 mmHg [95%CI: 26.2, 33.4] to 6.8 mmHg [95%CI: 5.4, 8.2]). Resuming CPR for restored 83% (95%CI: 78%, 86%) of the CPP lost. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that 83% of the decline in CPP values during a planned 10-second interruption in CPR can be restored with a short period of precordial compressions prior to defibrillation.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Coronary Perfusion Pressure, Chest Compression Interruptions

Mader, T. , Coute, R. , Kellogg, A. , Harris, J. , Millay, S. and Jensen, L. (2014) Restoring Coronary Perfusion Pressure before Defibrillation after Chest Compression Interruptions. Open Journal of Emergency Medicine, 2, 29-35. doi: 10.4236/ojem.2014.22005.