NIH: Amiodarone vs. Lidocaine in Cardiac Arrest and Fluid in Trauma Resuscitation Studied

From Live Well:

Cardiac Arrest

The purpose of the study is to determine whether the heart rhythm drugs Amiodarone and Lidocaine improve survival rates for people in cardiac arrest. The study will take up to three years to complete.

Emergency responders use the heart rhythm drugs when patients’ hearts don’t have a shockable rhythm, in other words, people whose hearts are beating chaotically. Typically, responders will administer one of the two medications to try and steady the rhythm.

Trauma

The purpose of the trial is to determine whether trauma patients with low blood pressure benefit from receiving small or large amounts of saline.

Typically, when responders encounter someone with traumatic injuries (other than a head injury) and low blood pressure, they administer saline to increase blood pressure, Daya said.

“The current standard is to give lots of fluid through an intravenous line to keep blood flowing to vital organs,” he said. “Now we suspect that too much fluid may actually increase bleeding by popping established clots off holes in blood vessels.”

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