Principles of Critical Care > Part II. General Management of the Patient > Chapter 15. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Benjamin S. Abella,  Terry L. Vanden Hoek,  Jason Alvarado,  Lance B. Becker

Key Points

"Cardiac arrest, defined as the sudden complete loss of cardiac output and therefore blood pressure, is the leading cause of death in the United States and much of the developed world, claiming at least 300,000 lives each year in the United States alone.¹ In the majority of cases, myocardial ischemia in the setting of coronary artery disease represents the underlying etiology of arrest. Conversely, cardiac arrest is the initial presentation of myocardial ischemia in approximately 20% of patients.² A wide variety of other processes can lead to cardiac arrest, including septic shock, electrolyte abnormalities, hypothermia, pulmonary embolism, and massive trauma (Table 15-1)...."