eMedicine Specialties > Emergency Medicine > Cardiovascular

Asystole: Multimedia

Author: Richard M Caggiano, MD, FACEP, Adjunct Faculty, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Director of Emergency Services, Medical Director of Employee Health, Chief Medical Officer, and Assistant Director of Trauma Services, Pullman Regional Hospital
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Jul 7, 2009

Multimedia

Rhythm strip showing asystole.Media file 1: Rhythm strip showing asystole.
Rhythm strip showing asystole.

Rhythm strip showing asystole.

Rhythm strip showing ventricular fibrillation.Media file 2: Rhythm strip showing ventricular fibrillation.
Rhythm strip showing ventricular fibrillation.

Rhythm strip showing ventricular fibrillation.

More on Asystole

Overview: Asystole
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Asystole
Treatment & Medication: Asystole
Follow-up: Asystole
Multimedia: Asystole
References
Further Reading

References

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  11. Billi JE, Zideman DA, Eigel B, et al. Conflict of interest management before, during, and after the 2005 International Consensus Conference on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care science with treatment recommendations. Resuscitation. Nov-Dec 2005;67(2-3):171-3. [Medline].

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  23. Niemann JT, Stratton SJ, Cruz B, Lewis RJ. Outcome of out-of-hospital postcountershock asystole and pulseless electrical activity versus primary asystole and pulseless electrical activity. Crit Care Med. Dec 2001;29(12):2366-70. [Medline].

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  25. Perers E, Abrahamsson P, Bang A, et al. There is a difference in characteristics and outcome between women and men who suffer out of hospital cardiac arrest. Resuscitation. Apr-May 1999;40(3):133-40. [Medline].

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  27. Resuscitation Council [UK]. Spurious asystole when using manual defibrillators and monitoring through the defibrillator paddled. Resusitation Council [UK]. 2002;1-2.

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  29. Savage DD, Castelli WP, Anderson SJ, Kannel WB. Sudden unexpected death during ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring. The Framingham Study. Am J Med. Jan 1983;74(1):148-52. [Medline].

  30. Sayegh AJ, Swor R, Chu KH, et al. Does race or socioeconomic status predict adverse outcome after out of hospital cardiac arrest: a multi-center study. Resuscitation. Apr-May 1999;40(3):141-6. [Medline].

  31. Starfield B. Continuous confusion?. Am J Public Health. Feb 1980;70(2):117-9. [Medline].

  32. Stiell IG, Wells GA, Field B, et al. Advanced cardiac life support in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. N Engl J Med. Aug 12 2004;351(7):647-56. [Medline].

  33. Vukov LF, White RD. External transcutaneous pacemakers in prehospital cardiac arrest. Ann Emerg Med. May 1988;17(5):554-5. [Medline].

  34. Young KD, Gausche-Hill M, McClung CD, Lewis RJ. A prospective, population-based study of the epidemiology and outcome of out-of-hospital pediatric cardiopulmonary arrest. Pediatrics. Jul 2004;114(1):157-64. [Medline].

Keywords

flat line, asystole, cardiac arrest, heart attack, cardiac standstill, pulseless electrical activity, PEA, primary asystole, secondary asystole, bradyasystolic rhythm, bradydysrhythmia, bradyasystole, asystolic cardiopulmonary arrest, asystolic cardiac arrest

Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Richard M Caggiano, MD, FACEP, Adjunct Faculty, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Director of Emergency Services, Medical Director of Employee Health, Chief Medical Officer, and Assistant Director of Trauma Services, Pullman Regional Hospital
Richard M Caggiano, MD, FACEP is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Edward Bessman, MD, Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine, John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center; Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University
Edward Bessman, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Gary Setnik, MD, Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Auburn Hospital; Assistant Professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Gary Setnik, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, National Association of EMS Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: SironaHealth Salary Management position; South Middlesex EMS Consortium Salary Management position

CME Editor

John D Halamka, MD, MS, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

David FM Brown, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate-Chief, Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital
David FM Brown, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Disclosure: Schering  Honoraria Speaking and teaching

 
 
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