Pharmacological management of cardiac arrest

Cardiac arrest (CA) is defined as the abrupt loss of blood flow due to sudden interruption of heart function. Cardiac arrest is associated with the loss of breathing and consciousness, and it is primarily due to a disturbance in the electrical activity of heart [1]. The etiology of CA is multifactorial and includes cardiac and non-cardiac causes [2]. The exact incidence of CA incidence is difficult to estimate, as epidemiologic reports often include CA subtypes according to location of occurrence. The management of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is different from that of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) for several aspects, including longer times for trained personnel to attend, limited equipment and availability of drugs on scene, and several challenges to implementation of treatment guidelines [3].