Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M W Gordon.
Advanced cardiac life support is the definitive sequence of initial treatment for the victim of a cardiac arrest. Advanced cardiac life support forms a large part of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, which also includes basic life support and post-resuscitation intensive care.
Trauma is the leading cause of death in people less than 40 years old (Central Statistics Office, 1994). Patients who have sustained major trauma will often have multiple injuries. The key to treating these patients is an organized and systematic method of examination and treatment to ensure that injuries are not missed and left untreated.
Adults and children have cardiac arrests for very different reasons. The commonest reason for an adult cardiac arrest is a primary arrhythmia in association with ischaemic heart disease, i.e. ventricular fibrillation. Children have cardiac arrests because of respiratory failure, hypovolaemia (due to trauma and dehydration) and sepsis.