Cardiac arrest team

Holder D A, Sniderman A D, Fraser G et al 1977 Experience with bretylium tosylate by a hospital cardiac arrest team. Circulation 55 541-544... 

The majority of information related to the activities of pharmacists participating in cardiac arrest teams in hos-... 

There is limited documentation of the value of pharmacists on cardiac arrest teams. What little data there are tend to be anecdotal in nature. As far back as 1972, Elen-baas responded to a review of the value of organized cardiac arrest teams in hospitals by noting the obvious absence of the inclusion of a pharmacist as a member of the team. Given the extremely small number of actual patient arrests in which pharmacists participate, it would be difficult to accurately measure the actual or perceived value of pharmacist participation. Based on the small... 

A CAVC unit should be led by one or more specialist physicians with experience in ventilation. The physician provides medical leadership and is responsible for the medical assessment and overall management of the patients. Together with the respiratory therapist (RT), the physician is involved in decisions relating to ventilator parameters, interfaces, and airway management. The physician also leads the rapid response team (8) and the cardiac arrest team when on site. 

The RTs are responsible for the leadership of the rapid response and the cardiac arrest teams after official hours and on weekends. All RTs are certified in techniques of advanced life support. Together with the nursing staff, the RTs provide the daily care routine for the tracheotomy tubes, changing them as soon as the stoma is well established. Prior to the patients leaving the unit for outings, the RTs provide the necessary training to family and friends to enable them to safely accompany the patient. 

Buist MD, Moore GE, Bernard SA, et al. Effects of a medical emergency team on reduction of incidence of and mortality from unexpected cardiac arrests in hospital preliminary study. BMJ 2002 324 387-390. 

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