Asystole

Asystole

DiseaseDisorder infobox
Name = Asystole


Caption = ECG lead showing Asystole (Flatline)
ICD10 = ICD10|I|46|0|i|40
ICD9 = ICD9|427.5
In medicine, asystole is a state of no cardiac electrical activity, hence no contractions of the myocardium and no cardiac output or blood flow. Asystole is one of the conditions required for a medical practitioner to certify death.

In asystole, the heart will not respond to defibrillation because it is already depolarized, however some emergency physicians advocate a trial of defibrillation in case the rhythm is actually fine ventricular fibrillation, although little evidence exists to support the practice. Asystole is usually a confirmation of death as opposed to a heart rhythm to be treated, although a small minority of patients are successfully resuscitated, if the underlying cause is identified and treated immediately.

Possible underlying causes include the Hs and Ts."ACLS: Principles and Practice". p. 71-87. Dallas: American Heart Association, 2003. ISBN 0-87493-341-2.] "ACLS for Experienced Providers". p. 3-5. Dallas: American Heart Association, 2003. ISBN 0-87493-424-9.] "2005 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care - Part 7.2: Management of Cardiac Arrest." "Circulation" 2005; 112: IV-58 - IV-66.]

*Hypovolemia
*Hypoxia
*Hydrogen ions (Acidosis)
*Hypothermia
*Hyperkalemia or Hypokalemia
*Hypoglycemia
*Tablets or Toxins (Drug overdose)
*Cardiac Tamponade
*Tension pneumothorax
*Thrombosis (Myocardial infarction)
*Thrombosis (Pulmonary embolism)
*Trauma (Hypovolemia from blood loss)

While the heart is asystolic, there is no blood flow to the brain unless CPR or internal cardiac massage (when the chest is opened and the heart is manually compressed) is performed, and even then, it is still a small amount. After many emergency treatments have been applied but the heart is still unresponsive, it is time to consider pronouncing the patient dead. Even in the rare case that a rhythm should reappear, if asystole has persisted for fifteen minutes or more the brain will have been deprived of oxygen long enough to cause brain death.

ee also

* Cardiac arrest
* Myocardial infarction
* Ventricular fibrillation

References


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Asystole — A*sys to*le, n. [Pref. a not + systole.] (Physiol.) A weakening or cessation of the contractile power of the heart. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • asystole — ● asystole nom féminin Forme d arrêt cardiaque dans laquelle le cœur est immobile et sans activité électrique …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • asystole — (n.) 1860, from Modern Latin, from Gk. a , privative prefix, + systole contraction (see SYSTOLE (Cf. systole)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • asystole — noun absence of systole; failure of the heart to contract Syn: cardiac arrest, cardiopulmonary arrest …   Wiktionary

  • asystole — Absence of contractions of the heart. SYN: asystolia, cardiac standstill. [G. a priv, + systole, a contracting] * * * asys·to·le ( )ā sis tə (.)lē n a condition of weakening or cessation of systole asys·tol·ic .ā sis täl ik adj asys·to·lism ( )ā… …   Medical dictionary

  • asystole — [ə sɪstəli] noun Medicine a condition in which the heart no longer beats. Derivatives asystolic asɪ stɒlɪk adjective …   English new terms dictionary

  • asystole — n. a condition in which the heart no longer beats, accompanied by the absence of complexes in the electrocardiogram. The clinical features, causes, and treatment are those of cardiac arrest …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • asystole — /eɪˈsɪstəli/ (say ay sistuhlee) Medicine –noun 1. a state of the heart in which there is an absence of systole, and hence no contraction of the myocardium and no blood flow, leading to death. –adjective 2. of, relating to, or designating a heart… …  

  • asystole —   n. cessation of contraction of heart.    ♦ asystolic, a …   Dictionary of difficult words

  • asystole — noun absence of systole; failure of the ventricles of the heart to contract (usually caused by ventricular fibrillation) with consequent absence of the heart beat leading to oxygen lack and eventually to death • Syn: ↑cardiac arrest,… …   Useful english dictionary

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