title: Pharmacologic treatment of cardiac arrest.
abstract: Antiarrhythmic drugs currently recommended in the American Heart Association's Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) guidelines for the treatment of cardiac arrest have not been proved in controlled clinical trials to improve survival in patients with ventricular fibrillation (VF) or pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT). Intravenous amiodarone is a promising agent for the treatment of VF and VT. Based on available evidence, amiodarone should be considered for use in patients with shock-refractory ventricular arrhythmias.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kudenchuk
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Racht
mesh_terms: D000638:Amiodarone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004554:Electric Countershock; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008021:Life Support Systems
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D008012:Lidocaine; D000638:Amiodarone