title: Refractory ventricular fibrillation treated with esmolol.
abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of esmolol treatment for patients with refractory ventricular fibrillation (RVF) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).
  
  
  
  This single-centre retrospective pre-post study evaluated patients who were treated between January 2012 and December 2015. Some patients had received esmolol (loading dose: 500μg/kg, infusion: 0-100μg/kg/min) for RVF (≥3 defibrillation attempts), after obtaining consent from the patient's guardian.
  
  
  
  Twenty-five patients did not receive esmolol (the control group), and 16 patients received esmolol. Sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was significantly more common in the esmolol group, compared to the control group (56% vs. 16%, p=0.007). Survival and good neurological outcomes at 30 days, 3 months and at 6 months were >2-fold better in the esmolol group, compared to the control group, although these increases were not statistically significant.
  
  
  
  The findings of our study suggest that administration of esmolol may increase the rate of sustained ROSC and ICU survival among patients with RVF in OHCA. Further larger-scale, prospective studies are necessary to determine the effect of esmolol for RVF in OHCA.
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Anyang, Republic of Korea; Department of emergency medicine, College of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hwaniyo@naver.com.
authors: Young Hwan
authors: YH
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Emergency Medical Technology, Seojeong College, Yangju, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: dlrnlwk@hanmail.net.
authors: Kui Ja
authors: KJ
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Anyang, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: xgaryx@naver.com.
authors: Yong Hun
authors: YH
authors: Min
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Anyang, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: gsemdr68@hallym.or.kr.
authors: Hee Cheol
authors: HC
authors: Ahn
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Anyang, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: medysohn@hallym.or.kr.
authors: You Dong
authors: YD
authors: Sohn
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Anyang, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: woong421@naver.com.
authors: Won Woong
authors: WW
authors: Lee
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Anyang, Republic of Korea; Department of emergency medicine, College of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon 200-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: powerfreeze@hanmail.net.
authors: Young Taeck
authors: YT
authors: Oh
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Hallym University, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: emdrcho@empal.com.
authors: Gyu Chong
authors: GC
authors: Cho
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, School of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: siris94@hallym.or.kr.
authors: Jeong Yeol
authors: JY
authors: Seo
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: sinndhk@medimail.co.kr.
authors: Dong Hyuk
authors: DH
authors: Shin
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: 20080563@kuh.ac.kr.
authors: Sang O
authors: SO
authors: Park
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Anyang, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: aukawa1@naver.com.
authors: Seung Min
authors: SM
authors: Park
mesh_terms: D058671:Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D000368:Aged; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D058671:Adrenergic beta-1 Receptor Antagonists; D011412:Propanolamines; C036604:esmolol
keywords: Adrenergic beta-1 receptor antagonists; Cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Ventricular fibrillation