title: [Which drugs are useful during resuscitation? Which are not?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiopulmonary resuscitation represents a therapeutic challenge. Evidence-based guidelines, which were updated in 2015, give detailed advice on how to treat the patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  Basic life support consists of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (30 chest compressions interrupted briefly to provide to 2 ventilations) and, if ventricular tachyarrhythmia is present, urgent cardiac defibrillation. Administration of drugs is one of the aspects of advanced life support. Vasopressors (adrenaline, vasopressin) aim to optimize coronary and cerebral perfusion. Antiarrhythmic drugs (amiodarone or lidocaine, when amiodarone is not available) are given during cardiac arrest to treat specific cardiac arrhythmias, mainly ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  However, even in current guidelines, there is growing ambivalence towards drug treatment in the setting of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This is mainly due to a paucity of robust clinical data. Most of the studies that have addressed the efficacy and safety of drugs during resuscitation are observational studies; however, a few small randomized controlled studies also exist. Recently, two large randomized controlled studies addressing the efficacy and safety of adrenaline versus placebo and amiodarone or lidocaine versus placebo have started. Both are currently recruiting patients. The hope is that the results of these studies will help to better define the role of drugs administered during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
authors: Med. Klinik mit Schwerpunkt Kardiologie, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charité - Universitätsmedizin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Deutschland. wilhelm.haverkamp@charite.de.
authors: Wilhelm
authors: W
authors: Haverkamp
mesh_terms: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000592:standards; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000592:standards; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents
keywords: Adrenaline; Amiodarone; Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation; Lidocaine; Magnesium