Cardiac Arrest in Special Populations

Best practices in cardiac arrest depend on continuous high-quality chest compressions, appropriate ventilatory management, early defibrillation of shockable rhythms, and identification and treatment of reversible causes. Although most patients can be treated according to highly vetted treatment guidelines, some special situations in cardiac arrest arise where additional skills and preparation can improve outcomes. Situations covered in this section involve cardiac arrest in context of electrical injuries, asthma, allergic reactions, pregnancy, trauma, electrolyte imbalances, toxic exposures, hypothermia, drowning, pulmonary embolism, and left ventricular assist devices.