Updated Guidelines for Antiarrhythmics in Cardiac Arrest

Weak recommendations support amiodarone or lidocaine in adults and children with shock-refractory ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia.

Sponsoring Organization: European Resuscitation Council (ERC) and International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR)

Target Population: Patients with cardiac arrest

Background and Objective

This is an update of the 2015 consensus statement focusing on use of antiarrhythmic medications in patients with cardiac arrest.

Key Points

Amiodarone or lidocaine can be used for adults or children with shock-refractory ventricular fibrillation (VF) or paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia (pVT; weak recommendation based on low-quality evidence).
Magnesium should not be used routinely in adults with shock-refractory VF/pVT (weak recommendation based on very low-quality evidence)
Evidence is insufficient to support recommendations for the use of bretylium, n…

Reviewing Author

Daniel M. Lindberg, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Grant/Research SupportEunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; MINDSOURCE

Editorial BoardsThe Quarterly Update: Reviews of Current Child Abuse Medical Research; Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesThe Helfer Society (Executive Committee Member)