Pulmonary embolism as cause of cardiac arrest - Presentation and outcome

Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a possible noncardiac cause of cardi ac arrest. Mortality is very high, and often diagnosis is established only by autopsy. Methods: In a retrospective study, we anal) zed clinical presentation, diag nosis, therapy, and outcome of patients with cardiac arrest after PE admitt ed to the emergency department of an urban tertiary care hospital. Results: Within 8 years, PE was found as the cause in 60 (4.8%) of 1246 car diac arrest victims. The initial rhythm diagnosis was pulseless electrical activity in 38 (63%), asystole in 19 (32%), and ventricular fibrillation in 3 (5%) of the patients. Pronounced metabolic acidosis (median pH, 6.95, an d lactate level, 16 mmol/L) was found in most patients. In 18 patients (30% ), the diagnosis of PE was established only postmortem. In 42 (70%) it was diagnosed clinically, in 24 of them the diagnosis of PE was confirmed by ec hocardiography. In 21 patients, 100 mg of recombinant tissue-type plasminog en activator was administered as thrombolytic treatment, and 2 (10%) of the se patients survived to hospital discharge. Comparison of patients of the t hrombolysis group (n=21) with those of the nonthrombolysis group (n = 21) s howed a significantly higher rate of return of spontaneous circulation (81% vs 43%) in the thrombolysis group (P=.03). Conclusions: Mortality related to cardiac arrest caused by PE is high. Echo cardiography is supportive in determining PE as the cause of cardiac arrest . In view of the poor prognosis, thrombolysis should be attempted to achiev e return of spontaneous circulation and probably better outcome.