Pre-cardiac arrest conditions

Abstract:

Several situations may lead to disorders in clinical presentation and the development of a pre-cardiac arrest condition. These are coronary incidents, neurological disorders, severe infections, trauma or metabolic disorders, often occurring together. The process of cardiac arrest prevention is based on measurement and monitoring of vital signs (heart, brain, lungs), early recognition, including other health care services, and monitoring the response or reaction to the initial management. A thorough and targeted clinical examination is the basis for early recognition of clinical deterioration. It includes the disease-specific anamnesis, a neurological examination and evaluation of vital signs. Specific risk assessment scales, suitable for all healthcare profiles, may help in the early identification of patients at risk. It allows for the segregation of patients by risk and earlier initiation of therapy. Further, it promotes sending the patients requiring more complex diagnostics or a predictable organ support to the hospital.

Key words:
heart arrest; heart rate; blood pressure; respiration; mortality; severity of illness index