#EMConf: Beyond ACLS - VFib
Thu, 07/12/2018 - 7:00am
Editor:
Anti-Arrhythmics:
- Amiodarone and Lidocaine have minimal effect over placebo in VT/VF (NEJM article from 2016)
- Amiodarone remains in the ACLS guidelines and you can consider it after a couple of defibrillations since there remains some uncertainty.
Refractory VTach/ VFib:
- For refractory VF/VT, consider Esmolol. A single center retrospective trial suggested that there was benefit in treating refractory VF/VT with it.
- Double sequence defibrillation is a nice idea but be cautious as there is minimal data for the same and there is some concern for damage to defibrillators.
References:
Kudenchuk, et al, Amiodarone, Lidocaine, or Placebo in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest, NEJM, 2016.
Lee et al, Refractory ventricular fibrillation treated with esmolol, Resuscitation, 2016.