Therapeutic Hypothermia Essay

1345 Words6 Pages
Beccaria, Turi, Cristofolini, Colombo, Leggieri, Vinciguerra, Zangrillo (2010) stated “out of hospital cardiac arrest claims 225,000 lives each year in the United States, even when resuscitation efforts are successful” (p.1). In 1980’s the thoughts of cooling was brought up again after having positive outcomes from using animals in experiments for having good neurologic outcomes. Patients that are post cardiac arrest can possibly have a tremendous neurological damage if they live through the heart attack. Any one that presents with ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, unresponsive, and is resuscitated is a potential candidate for therapeutic hypothermia. Therapeutic hypothermia is considered when the core temperature of one is consistent with 32-34 degrees Celsius after having cardiac arrest with patients whom don’t regain consciousness after circulation returns. Within the paper you will…show more content…
Beginning with the induction phase of cooling the main target is to reach a core temperature of anywhere from 32-34 degrees Celsius as quick as possible. A rule of thumb for the cooling process is to get the patient in the hypothermia state before the 4-6 hours are up although that depends per hospital policy. In the beginning of the cooling process, temperature probes must be in position to have a continuous up to time temperature. The pulmonary artery catheter is generally placed in the intensive care unit to determine their temperature. Beccaria, Turi, Cristofolini, Colombo, Leggieri, Vinciguerra, and Zangrillo (2010) report “a rapid bolus of 20-30 ml/kg 4 degrees Celsius isotonic saline solution is effective in decreasing temperature” (p. 6). In conjunction with the usage of cold saline solution internally many practice the low cost methods the use of cooling blankets, vests, ice packs, and iced lavages at

More about Therapeutic Hypothermia Essay

Open Document