Causes:

  1. myocardial infarction.
  2. anaphylactic shock.
  3. …..anaesthetic agents….etc.

Clinical picture:

  1. unconciousness.
  2. pallor of the skin.
  3. Absence of arterial pulse (radial and carotid). Try to listen to heart sounds.
  4. lack of bleeding from a surgical wound.
  5. pupill will be dilated (late).

Treatment:

**cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be performed immediately as brain death will occur if oxygen is cut off for 3 minutes:

  • Positioning of the patient to help venous return.
  • start external cardiac massage.
  • Artificial respiration…..
  • Adrenaline intracardiac (why?) - beta-1 effect