Resuscitation
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Animal experiments with cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) despite controlled insult and postinsult life support, have yielded variable individual outcomes. This report concerns 10 dog experiments with a standardized model of VF cardiac arrest with no flow for 10 min followed by CPR basic life support (BLS) from VF 10 to 15 min and then CPR advanced life support (ALS) with epinephrine at 15 min. Defibrillating countershocks began at 17 min, for restoration of spontaneous circulation. ⋯ Coronary perfusion pressure during CPR-ALS was higher in the normal outcome group (P = 0.03). Among postarrest variables, postarrest reperfusion pressure pattern (initial hypertensive bout), blood glucose, cardiac output, Hct, pHa, PaO2 and PaCO2 were the same. Our data support the importance of maximizing coronary perfusion pressure not only for restoration of heart beat but also as a possible predictor of improved cerebral outcome.