hypothermic cardiac arrest

Most hypothermia deaths happen at temperatures of 30 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, which is approximately 700 deaths per year.  about half of these are over 65.  Many patients who present with severe hypothermia are under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Severe hypothermia is defined as a core body temp of less than 86 degrees Fahrenheit.  the victim's level of consciousness is a good indicator of how severe the hypothermia is.  In early stages, a victim can feel excited, with lots of shivering and increased metabolic rate.  later stages involve progressive slowing of body functions and decreased level of consciousness.

There are some conflicts in the literature, but general guidelines for severe hypothermia without signs of life are:  (read more here..... http://www.carpentercprsolutions.com/-blog/hypothermic-cardiac-arrest)

Animal bites and rabies

ne of the main fears of people bitten by animals is the potential for rabies exposure.  In the United States, human deaths from rabies is extremely low, approximately one or two per year.  Worldwide, the problem is more severe, with approximately 50,000 human deaths yearly.

Rabies is a viral illness of mammals that is typically transmitted from..  read more here: http://www.carpentercprsolutions.com/-blog/animal-bites-and-rabies

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Oxygen Toxicity: Too much of a good thing!

Oxygen toxicity results from breathing in high concentrations of oxygen.  Severe cases of oxygen toxicity can result in death.  Oxygen destabilizes cell membranes and causes free radicals that can do cellular damage.  

It can affect multiple body systems- Notably, oxygen toxicity can affect the (read more here! http://www.carpentercprsolutions.com/-blog/oxygen-toxicity)

PEA- Pulseless Electrical Activity

Pulseless Electrical Activity, or PEA is defined as electrical activity within the heart (an organized rhythm) without corresponding muscular activity.  In other words, everything may look fine on a monitor, but there is no pulse- the muscle is not contracting, and there is no actual mechanical movement, or very little (pseudo-PEA).  Initial treatment is...(read more at http://www.carpentercprsolutions.com/-blog/pea-pulseless-electrical-activity)

Asystole

Asystole, or the absence of electrical activity in the heart- is characterized by a "flat line" on a cardiac monitor, and is really considered an end point during a resuscitation.... Read more here!

Rapid Response Teams

Rapid Response Teams (RRT) in hospitals were designed to allow a number of specialized staff to respond to a patient in a hospital and provide the care necessary to prevent arrest.  Generally, an RRT can be called by any staff member or family member who feels that the patient is deteriorating.  The concept of rapid response....(read more here...)