Do defibrillators work on people in asystole?

Question

Do defibrillators work on people in asystole?

Answer 1

Defibrillators defibrillate. Thus, they have to have a rhythm to be effective. Asystole is the absence of rhythm, and thus defibrillation won't help, unfortunately. Remember your ACLS algorithm: asystole is treated with epinephrine/atropine and compressions primarily.

That said, remember that sometimes fine ventricular fib looks like asystole. So one should confirm asystole in several leads and may even try defibrillation, in case the "asystole" is really fine ventricular fibrillation.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

The TV shows drama, nothing else. Notice the soap opera doctors use Lidocaine for asystole and PEA. It's a scream, for sure. We also used to "empty" the crash cart in the hospital. But not doing that anymore, it's very specific these days. **Remember for your test: you shock "living" people. You defibrillate dead people.** The current recommendation is that you keep up all efforts and not stop for anything (not even for pulse checks to check your efforts) until the victim tells you to quit. That's another thing that may be test-worthy. You would be doing just chest compression, and not any of the breathing. Interesting concept. Guess we'll, see. But you will have to do what your protocol says every time.

Answer 4

No. You administer drugs (epinephrine and atropine)

You generally do not (unlike what they show on TV and the movies, like Flatliners) administer a shock when someone flat lines. Though during an actual (resucitation) 'code' I have seen it done. Although not protocol by AHA, the person is otherwise dead, so it might help. (It didn't) A flatline may actually be a fibrillation that is too weak to be seen on the monitor, so a shock was delivered.

Answer 5

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Yes, it's all Hollywood nonsense. Shocking someone in asystole typically has no effect. More generally, Hollywood greatly exaggerates the success rate of many procedures, such as defibrillation and especially CPR. At the same time, it greatly underestimates the consequences of many injuries, such as head trauma.

Answer 6

no it doesn't
asystole -- you need to resume CPR (chest thrusts) and inject epinephrine (this would make the heart contract)
defibrillators -- are for people with ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia (pulseless) this is the kind of heart rhythm that occurs before it becomes asystole.
when a person is having ventricular fibrillation -- it's like the heart is "panicking" and not pumping efficiently, so you need to "shock" it. otherwise, why shock a heart that's not beating?

Answer 7

Asystole Treatment

Answer 8

jtracer48.. Are you sure you're a nurse/paramedic? Because last time I checked, we don't follow "prodocols." One would think that a professional would be able to spell the very thing they speak of. But I digress. No, no shocking asystole. Sometimes, a shock will be delivered to make sure that the patient is not in fine vfib. Even this is pretty stupid with the technology available in most cardiac monitors. Most monitors allow you to turn up the size of the leads a great deal just so you can determine fine vfib/asystole. Asystole is usually treated with External Transcutaneous Cardiac Pacing in a witnessed cardiac arrest. Most times Epi 1:10k 1mg and Atropine 1mg IVP are your best bets. You might want to consider the cause of arrest. Narcotic overdose? Narcan .4-2mg IVP. Acidosis? Everyone who is in arrest has some degree of acidosis. NaHCO3 1mEq/kg works here. Diabetic? Check the glucose level. Consider Dextrose 50% 25G.

Answer 9

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Answer 10

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