Steve Smith has an excellent post on 2 cases of post-arrest with EKG changes. Some of my ED critical care buds, Dr. Smith, and I had some back and forth on who actually needs cath post-ROSC. The evidence is mixed.
What I would recommend at this stage of the game is the following patient groups should be cathed in the immediate Post-ROSC period:
- Conventional STEMI criteria (Anatomically-Sequential ST elevations, Sgarbossa LBBB) You may want to make sure the pattern persists on a repeat EKG
- Clear Ischemic EKG that persists 20-30 minutes into resuscitation (As Dr. Smith's post explains, immediate EKGs post-arrest may look ischemic, but resolve during the ED course)
- Electrical Storm/Persistent Ventricular Dysrhythmia
- Severe Cardiac Stunning (To look for a lesion and to place IABP)
Some would argue any patient whose rhythm was V-Fib/V-Tach without an alternate non-cardiac cause should take a trip to the lab early in their hospital course.
Love to hear your thoughts…
Editor-in-Chief, at EMCrit.org
An ED Intensivist from NY.
Professor
Chief, Division of Emergency Critical Care
Director, Resuscitation and Acute Critical Care Unit
Stony Brook Medicine
Stony Brook, NY, USA
No conflicts of interest (coi).
Professor
Chief, Division of Emergency Critical Care
Director, Resuscitation and Acute Critical Care Unit
Stony Brook Medicine
Stony Brook, NY, USA
No conflicts of interest (coi).
Latest posts by Scott Weingart, MD FCCM (see all)
Hi Scott,
Do you know of any good article on risk stratification of patient that present with chest pain with negative Cath less than 2 years or positive Cath with stent less or equal 2 years? I have been looking for a good but has found one.
Thanks.
Cherinor