Resuscitation From Ventricular Fibrillation
Drug Therapy
- Joseph S. Redding, MD;
- John W. Pearson, MD
Abstract
In resuscitating dogs subjected to ten minutes of circulatory arrest due to ventricular fibrillation, a number of drugs were used with artificial ventilation of the lungs, external cardiac massage, and external electrical counter-shock. Resuscitation was more successful when epinephrine was used than when no drug therapy or sodium bicarbonate were used. Combination of lidocaine with epinephrine increased the frequency of defibrillation, but circulation was not restored more often than with epinephrine alone. The use of methoxamine hydrochloride was followed by successful resuscitation more often than was the use of epinephrine. Combination of epinephrine and sodium bicarbonate was as effective as methoxamine in restoring circulation, and inspection of the survivors after 24 hours suggested that the combination might be preferable.
Footnotes
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Read before the Section on Anesthesiology at the 116th annual convention of the American Medical Association, Atlantic City, NJ, June 21, 1967.
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Reprint requests to 4940 Eastern Ave, Baltimore 21224 (Dr. Redding).
