Topic Progress:
Case Study icon green circle

Ashley and Drew are enjoying their day at home.

Ashley is on the couch when she hears a loud thud. She walks over to find Drew, her 57-year-old husband, collapsed in the kitchen, pale.

She can’t wake him up.

Ashley calls emergency services and is told to start CPR.

Paramedics arrive after 10 minutes and they identify VF on the defibrillator.

After the 2nd shock, Drew has return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and is taken to hospital.

Case Study Icon GandB

List some potential causes of cardiac arrest in Drew.



The most common cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OOHCA) is cardiac.

An initial shockable rhythm makes this very likely.

Causes of OOHCA can be broadly classified into:

Cardiac

> IHD

> Arrhythmia

> Cardiomyopathy

Non-cardiac

> Trauma

> Atraumatic bleeding

> ICH

> Pulmonary embolism

> Asphyxia (submersion, hanging)

> Hypoxia

> Drug overdose

> Hypoglycaemia

> Hypothermia

> Seizure

> Septic shock

> Dehydration/malnutrition

Log in with your credentials

Forgot your details?