Podcast 520:  Approach to the arresting patient

Contributor: Peter Bakes, MD

Educational Pearls:

• Peri-arrest patients present a particular challenge to ED providers, as the differential is broad and time is critical 
• The differential for near cardiac arrest includes the “H’s and T’s”, just as in true cardiac arrest 
• The 6 H’s include: hypoxia, hypo/hyperkalemia, hypovolemia (including shock states), hydrogen (acidosis), hypothermia 
• The 6 T’s include: tension pneumothorax, cardiac tamponade, thrombus (PE/MI), toxins, trauma 
• Use your history skills to narrow down this list (i.e renal failure leads to hyperkalemia, trauma leads to tension pneumothorax or tamponade)

Summarized by Will Dewispelaere, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD