Post-ischemic Myoclonic Status Following Cardiac Arrest in Young Drug Users.
Myoclonic status may be observed following cardiac arrest and has previously been identified as a poor prognostic indicator in regard to return of neurologic function. We describe a unique situation in post-cardiac arrest patients with myoclonic status and hypothesize possible predictors of a good neurologic outcome.



Case series.



We illustrate two cases of cardiac arrest due to a respiratory cause in young patients with evidence of illicit drug use at the time of hospital admission that suffered post-ischemic myoclonic status. These patients subsequently recovered with good neurologic outcomes.



On rare occasions, myoclonic status does not imply a poor functional outcome following cardiac arrest. Other clinical and demographic characteristics including young age, presence of illicit substances, and primary respiratory causes of arrest may contribute to a severe clinical presentation, with a subsequent good neurologic outcome in a small subset of patients.
Division of Critical Care Neurology, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA. braksick.sherri@mayo.edu.
Sherri A
0000-0001-6257-1464
SA
Braksick
Division of Critical Care Neurology, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
Alejandro A
AA
Rabinstein
Division of Critical Care Neurology, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
Eelco F M
EF
Wijdicks
Division of Critical Care Neurology, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
Jennifer E
JE
Fugate
Division of Critical Care Neurology, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA.
Sara
S
Hocker
D000328:Adult; D004831:Epilepsies, Myoclonic / Q000209:etiology*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D055815:Young Adult
Cardiac arrest; Post-ischemic myoclonus status; Prognostication